Confucius Mansion

Confucius' mansion, also known as "Yansheng mansion", is located in the east of Confucius Temple. It is second only to the Palace Museum in Beijing. It is also known as "the first house in the world". It is the mansion where Confucius' lineage has lived for a long time. It is also a typical building combining the government and the inner house in Chinese feudal society.

The layout is divided into East, West and middle roads: the east road is the location of ancestral hall, baoben hall, Taomiao, etc.; the west road is the place for Yan Shenggong to study, learn poetry, chant and receive visitors, Zhongshu hall, anhuatang, North and South Flower hall are the guest rooms for general guests; the middle road is the main part of the Confucius government, with three halls and six halls in the front, inner house in the back, and garden in the end.

There are a large number of historical relics of various dynasties in the Confucius Mansion, the most famous of which are the "ten utensils of Shang and Zhou Dynasties" and the only surviving Qiliang crown of Yuan Dynasty in China.

Confucius Mansion

Confucius Mansion, also known as Yansheng mansion, is located in Qufu City, Shandong Province, China, in the city of Qufu and on the east side of Confucius Temple. It is the residence of the descendants of Confucius. It was built in 1377 and rebuilt in 1503, covering an area of 240 mu.

There are 463 halls, halls, buildings and rooms in Confucius' mansion.

Nine into the courtyard, three road layout: the east road is the east school, jianyiguan hall, muen hall, Kongs family temple and workshops; the west road is the west school, hongyuxuan, Zhongshu hall, Anhuai hall and Huating hall; the main part of the Confucius Mansion is in the Middle Road, the front is the government office, the front is three halls and six halls, the back is the inner house, the front upper room, the front and back hall, the auxiliary building, the back six rooms, and finally the garden. Following the example of the six ministries of the feudal dynasty, the Confucius government set up six halls. On both sides of the two gates, they were Guangou hall, Baihu hall, classics hall, sile hall, Zhiyin hall, Zhangshu hall and public administration hall.

In 1961, "Qufu Confucius Temple and Confucius Mansion" was listed as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units,

In December 1994, it was listed as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Historical evolution

Early development

The second year after Confucius died (478 BC), the state established the hall where he lived as a temple. At that time, there were only three rooms in the temple, which contained the clothes, chariots and ceremonial utensils used by Confucius during his lifetime.

In the early days, there were only three old houses of Confucius, whose descendants worshipped Confucius in the humble old houses and built houses according to the temple. The eldest branch of Confucius' lineage was worshipping Confucius. He used to live in the former palace, which is called "Xifeng house". With the rise of Confucius' status and the official position of his descendants, the residence of Confucius expanded day by day.

During the period of Cao Wei, they set up teaching and lectures outside the temple.

During the reign of emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty (1038-1040), the Confucius Mansion was expanded. After being granted the title of emperor Yansheng, another new mansion was built, which was called Yansheng mansion. At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the residence of Kong's descendants had been expanded to dozens.

In the Jin Dynasty, there were some buildings in the east of the temple, such as "Keguan", "Kewei", "Zhaitang", "zhaiting", "Enqing Tang" and "Shuanggui Tang".

Build scale

In 1377, Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of Ming Dynasty, ordered Yan Shenggong to set up a lawsuit department and specially ordered him to rebuild his mansion to the east of the former residence.

During the reign of Hongzhi, the Confucius Temple was on fire. In the 16th year of Hongzhi (1503), Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty ordered to renovate the Confucius Temple and Yansheng mansion in Queli, supervised by Li Dongyang, a cabinet bachelor and crown prince. Before Zhengde of Ming Dynasty, Confucius' residence was not in Qufu City, but outside the county, 10 li away from the city.

During the reign of Jiajing, Emperor Shizong of Ming Dynasty ordered the relocation of Qufu county and Chengwei temple in order to protect the Confucius Temple. After ten years, Qufu new city was built with high city walls and a deep moat outside. Confucius' mansion and temple lived in Qufu City, which laid the foundation for the scale of the present Confucius' mansion.

In the 23rd year of Daoguang (1843), due to the dilapidated buildings, most of the Confucius' houses collapsed. The Qing government made a small-scale construction of "changing the old into the new, not abandoning the basic system, not floating on the cost".

In the ninth year of Guangxu (1883), the house of Confucius burned down seven buildings in the house. In the eleventh year of Guangxu (1885), the Qing government carried out a large-scale reconstruction on the original basis, which consumed more than 80000 liang of silver. This was the last large-scale restoration project in the feudal era.

Since modern times

With the decline of the Qing Dynasty, the buildings of Yansheng mansion were gradually destroyed. The "Lan Tang", "Jiu Ru Tang" and "Yu Bei Lou" built during the reign of Kangxi collapsed one after another.

After the 1911 Revolution overthrew the Qing Dynasty, during the period of the Republic of China (1912-1949), the descendants of Confucius were still honored by the previous generations. Confucius' seventy-seven generation grandson, kongdecheng, was changed into "the most sage and forefather of Dacheng worships officials" and given special treatment.

In 1936, when Kong Decheng got married, he made a comprehensive renovation of his residence.

Architectural features

pattern

Confucius' mansion is basically the architecture of Ming and Qing Dynasties, including 463 halls, halls, buildings and pavilions, with a total of nine courtyards. It is a typical Chinese aristocratic gateway home, which is called "the first family in the world".

It is the residence of Confucius' lineage for a long time, and it is also a typical building of the combination of government and inner residence in Chinese feudal society. After the death of Confucius, the descendants of Confucius lived next to the temple for generations to guard the relics of Confucius. By the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the houses of the descendants of Confucius had been expanded to dozens. By the Jin Dynasty, the descendants of Confucius had been in the east of the temple. With the promotion of Confucius' official position and the improvement of nobility, the buildings of Confucius' mansion expanded continuously and reached the scale in song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Confucius Mansion covers an area of 7.4 hectares, with 480 ancient buildings. It is divided into nine courtyards in front and back, with three roads in the middle, East and West.

distribution

Confucius' mansion can be divided into front hall, middle residence and back garden. The front hall is the official yamen, which is divided into the main hall, the second Hall and the third hall. Yan Shenggong was the official rank of zhengyipin. He was listed as the first scholar and enjoyed great privileges. There are six offices in the front hall, including Zhiyin, Zhangshu, classics, sile, Guangou and Baihu hall, which serve the Confucius government.

Zhongju, namely the inner house and the back garden, is the place where Yan Shenggong and his family live. The front and back buildings of the inner house are the houses of the master, the wife, the young master and the young lady of the family. Now the daily necessities of that year are displayed.

The last one is the garden, also known as Tieshan garden. There are rockery, fish pond, flower dock, bamboo forest and all kinds of flower bonsai in the park.

Cultural relics

front gate

The main entrance of Confucius' mansion faces south, facing a big pink wall. On the left and right sides of the gate, there are a pair of round stone lions more than 2 meters high, male and female. The red edge and black paint gate is inlaid with lion dragon shop head, and the plaque of "holy mansion" with blue background and gold characters is hanging high above the middle of the gate, which is said to be written by Yan Song, the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty. On the pillars on both sides of the door, there are a pair of couplets: the same day as Guoxian Xiu's Anfu Zunrong mansion, an old moral sage. It is said that it was written by Ji Yun, a calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty.

Two doors

The second gate of the middle road of Confucius Mansion is commonly known as the second gate. The gate was built in the Ming Dynasty. On the lintel of the gate, Li Dongyang, a poet of the Ming Dynasty, a minister of the Ministry of official affairs, and a scholar of wenyuange, wrote a vertical plaque of "the gate of saints" in his hand. Under it, there is a threshold for reading and a stone drum for holding the gate post. There is an axillary gate and an auricle on the left and right sides of the main gate. In feudal society, usually only the armpit door, the main door does not open, in order to show solemnity.

Screen door

The screen door was built in 1503, the 16th year of Hongzhi. The door is made of wood, and it is not connected with the walls. It is an independent courtyard, similar to the sheltered door. The top of the screen door is covered with grey tiles. The lintel of the gate is called "Chongguang gate" because of the plaque "bestowed by Ming Shizong". Under the four columns of the door, there are stone drums, on which the painted roof is supported. There are four Inverted wood carvings on the front and back of the door with golden flower buds, so it is also called "chuihuamen". It is of great research value in building technology. In the past, the Chongguang gate was not open at ordinary times. It was opened only when the Confucius Mansion held a grand ceremony, when the emperor was lucky, when the imperial edict was read out, and when a major ceremony was held to offer sacrifices to Confucius.

Chongguang gate

Chongguang gate is also called "plug gate" because it separates the front yard from the back yard in an independent courtyard. It is said that such a gate is not qualified for the establishment of a common official family, and only the "king of the state" who has been granted the title of nobility can enjoy this honor. Therefore, there is a record in the Analects of Confucius that "the king of the state sets up the gate". The East and West halls on both sides of Chongguang gate are the six halls set up by the Confucius government in imitation of the "six ministries" of the feudal dynasty.

lobby

The hall of Confucius Mansion is the place where Yan Shenggong read out the imperial edict, met officials, declared family laws and regulations, tried major cases, and held ceremonies on festivals and birthdays. There are 5 halls, 3 meditation rooms and grey tiles hanging on the top of the mountain. Under the eaves with a Dou Er Sheng Jiao Ma Ye Dou Gong, Ma Ye head out of the front, seat Dou Yu, with the Ming Dynasty style. There is a painted cloud and eight treasures warm Pavilion in the center of the hall. In the middle of the chair, there is a piece of tiger skin. In front of the chair, there are four treasures of the study, printing boxes and signets on the long and narrow red lacquer case. In the middle of the hall, there is a plaque of "controlling Zong's surname", on which is engraved the edict of the sixth year of Shunzhi (1649), the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, that Yan Shenggong should "control Zong's surname, direct admonishment and encouragement, admonish the canon, make each of them abide by the etiquette and the holy gate", which stipulates various privileges of Yan Shenggong in the Kong family.

On both sides and at the back of the hall are displayed the honor guards of the first rank. For example, Jingua, Chaotian stirrup, qugun, quegun, Goulian gun, Genggu, yunpai, Longqi, Fengqi, Huqi, umbrella, fan and some other symbols symbolize its seal

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