Confucius Temple in Beijing

Located in Guozijian street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, Confucius Temple is a place for offering sacrifices to Confucius in yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was built in 1302 (the sixth year of Dade in the Yuan Dynasty) and completed in the tenth year of Dade. The central axis of the temple is dachengmen, dachengdian, chongshengmen and chongshengci. There are 198 inscriptions of Jinshi in yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, which are important documents for studying ancient Chinese imperial examination system. The Confucius Temple has been open to the public since 1928.

Confucius Temple in Beijing

Beijing Confucius Temple, also known as "Xianshi Temple", is located at No. 13, Guozijian street, Andingmen, Dongcheng District, Beijing

It was a place for offering sacrifices to Confucius in yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

It was first built in 1302 and completed in 1306, covering an area of 22000 square meters

It was rebuilt in 1411.

The Confucius Temple in Beijing faces south, with an ancient building area of about 7400 square meters.

The main building is distributed along the central axis, symmetrical Chinese traditional architectural layout, three into the courtyard. The buildings on the central axis from south to north are xianshimen, dachengmen, dachengdian, chongshengmen and chongshengci. The main buildings are covered with yellow glazed tiles.

In 1906, the Confucius Temple in Beijing was repaired on a large scale and completed in 1916. So far, the existing scale and layout of Confucius Temple have been formed.

The inscription stele of Jinshi in Beijing Confucius Temple is an important document for the study of ancient Chinese imperial examination system. After more than 700 years of historical and cultural accumulation, the cultural relics of Confucius Temple have become important historical materials and objects for the study of ancient Chinese imperial examination, Confucius Confucianism, architectural form and cultural connotation.

On January 13, 1988, the Confucius Temple in Beijing was announced as the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council of the people's Republic of China.

In 2010, Beijing Confucius Temple and Guozijian museum were rated as national AAAA tourist attractions.

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Historical evolution

In 1302, the construction of Confucius Temple in Beijing began.

In 1306, the Confucius Temple in Beijing was built. According to the ritual system of "zuomiao Youxue", in the same year, on the west side of Confucius Temple, Jianguo Zijian, also known as Taixue.

In the 11th year of Dade (1307) of the Yuan Dynasty, the Confucius Temple in Beijing established a "Jiahao zhaoshu tablet" and granted Confucius the title of "the most holy king of literature and art in Dacheng". In the Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple, there is a holy place.

In the second year of emperor Qing of Yuan Dynasty (1313), after he became a scholar, he set up a stele for Jinshi in the Confucius Temple in Beijing.

In the autumn and July of the third year of yuanyanyou (1316), the Confucius Temple in Beijing set up the stele of "Jiafeng Yanzi, Zengzi, zisizi, Mencius" and accompanied the pavilion. The Confucius Temple enjoys the regulation of the palace city, and the corner buildings are built in the four corners.

In 1356, the emperor ordered to repair the Confucius Temple in Beijing.

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Confucius Temple in Beijing was abandoned.

In the early years of Yongle in Ming Dynasty, the Confucius Temple in Beijing was renovated.

In the first year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1403), it was renamed Confucius Temple in Guozijian.

In the ninth year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1411), the renovation of Confucius Temple in Beijing was completed, and Dacheng hall was repaired.

In the 16th year of Yongle (1418) of Ming Dynasty, from 1898 to 1643, there were 77 inscriptions of Jinshi in Confucius Temple, among which 22440 were selected in 77 palace examinations.

In the fourth year of Xuande (1429), the Dacheng hall and two verandas of Beijing Confucius Temple were repaired, and the sages and scholars were set up.

In the first year of Ming Zhengtong (1436), the monument of Ming Yingzong's new Imperial Academy was built on the left side of the front door of Confucius Temple, which was completed on the first day of March. In April of Xia Dynasty, Wu Cheng, a scholar of Yuan Dynasty, was worshipped in Confucius Temple.

Ming Zhengtong eight years (1443), repair Xianshi temple.

In 1501, a screen wall was built outside the door of the Confucius Temple in Beijing.

In 1530, the ninth year of Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, Confucius was given the posthumous title of "the most sage and the first teacher Confucius". Dacheng hall was renamed as "Xianshi Temple" and Dacheng gate as "temple gate". The statue was changed into a wooden master. The four and ten sages were replaced by wooden masters.

In the ninth year of Jiajing reign of Ming Dynasty (1530), qishengpu (now chongshengci) was built behind Dacheng hall. The main hall has five rooms, three feet high, seven feet wide and eight feet deep.

In the 22nd year of Jiajing reign of Ming Dynasty (1543), the system of sacrificial rites in Confucius Temple was established.

In the 28th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1600), the Confucian temple in Beijing was renovated from green tiles to glazed tiles.

In the second year of Shunzhi (1645), the shrine of Confucius was named as "the sage of Dacheng".

In 1657, the shrine of Confucius was named "the shrine of Confucius, the most sage and forerunner".

From the third year of Shunzhi (1646) to the third year of Guangxu (1904), there were 118 imperial examinations, including 26795 Jinshi and 118 steles. In addition, there are 198 steles in Yuan and Ming Dynasties, on which 51624 Jinshi's surnames, first names, native places and their places are engraved.

In 1679, the West veranda and "Qisheng Temple" were built.

In the 23rd year of Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty (1684), the plaque of "master of all things" written by Emperor Kangxi was hung in Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple in Beijing.

In 1685, a plaque of imperial script "Dacheng hall" was hung in Beijing Confucius Temple.

In July of the 25th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign (1686), a stele named "praise of Confucius" was erected on the east side of the corridor of Dacheng hall, with a pavilion.

In March of the 28th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1689), a stele named "Yu Zhi Yan, Zeng, Si, Meng Si Zi Zan" was erected on the west side of Yongdao road in Dacheng hall, with a pavilion.

In 1703, Prince Heshuo presided over the renovation of the Xianshi temple, which was completed in 1705.

In March of the 43rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1704), there was a stele and a pavilion in the northwest of Yong road of dachengdian hall.

In the second year of Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1724), Confucius was conferred the title of Five Dynasties' master and became a king, and the "Qisheng Temple" was renamed "Chongsheng Temple".

In May of the third year of Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1725), there was a stele named "imperial control pacifies Qinghai Gaocheng Taixue" in the southeast of Yong road of Dacheng hall, with a pavilion.

In the third year of Yongzheng reign in the Qing Dynasty (1725), a plaque with Yongzheng's pen "living people have not yet" was hung in Dacheng hall.

In February of the sixth year of Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1728), there was a stele and a pavilion in the southwest of Dacheng hall.

In 1730 (the eighth year of Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty), the Xianshi temple was repaired.

In 1733, the East and West veranda of the Confucius Temple were repaired.

In 1737, the second year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the Beijing Confucian temple began to be repaired. The Dacheng gate and Dacheng Hall of the Guozijian Confucian temple were replaced with yellow tiles, and the Chongsheng Temple with green tiles. It was completed in spring and February of 1738.

In the third year of Qianlong's reign (1738), a plaque of Qianlong's imperial pen "and Tiandi Shen" was hung in Dacheng hall.

In 1738, Emperor Qianlong wrote a couplet for the Confucius Temple in Beijing, which read: "the belief in the rule of the state and the peace of the world is also based on the policy of the square", and "the palace wall built by the person who is frank in cultivating Taoism and achieving the goal of neutralization".

In December 1739 of the fourth year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, there was a stele and a pavilion on the northeast of Yong road of Dacheng hall. The inscriptions on the stele are "imperial Qianlong Gengshen Zhongqiu Shidian" and "imperial Qianlong Jiazi Zhongqiu Shidian".

In the first month of the 55th year of Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1790), a stele was erected to the east of dachengmenwai and to the south of it.

In the spring of the 55th year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1790), the imperial government rearranged the Ten Drum inscriptions on the stone drum, which were arranged on the East and west sides of the Dacheng gate. There were 20 halberds on the left and right sides of the gate, and there were four (now no existence). On the stone surface of the sixth drum, Emperor gaozongchun's poem postscript on the stone drum (no longer exists).

In February 1790, a stele was erected to the right of dachengmenwai (outside dachengmenwai) on the south side of the gate.

In the third year of Jiaqing (1798), a plaque of "Shengji Dacheng" was hung in Dacheng hall.

In the second year of Daoguang reign of Qing Dynasty (1822), the hall veranda of Xianshi temple was repaired.

In the third year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1823), a plaque of "shengxie Shizhong" was hung in Dacheng hall.

In June of the ninth year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1829), a stele named "imperial control, pacification, suppression and capture of rebellious descendants, success of Taixue" was erected in the northwest of Dacheng gate, with a pavilion.

In the Qing Dynasty, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu and Xuantong successively wrote the inscriptions of "Deqi Yizai", "Shengshen Tianzong", "Wenzai", "Zhonghe Weiyu" and hung in Dacheng hall.

In 1906, the Confucius Temple in Beijing was renovated on a large scale. Dacheng hall was expanded from seven rooms with three entrances to nine rooms with five entrances, double eaves, four slopes and five ridges. The project has not yet been completed, and the Qing Dynasty perished, but the renovation continues, and was finally completed in 1916. So far, the existing scale and layout of Confucius Temple have been formed.

In 1916, fan Yuanlian, the director general of education, took down all the plaques of the Qing Dynasty and handed them over to the then history museum for preservation.

The fifth year of the Republic of China (1916)

Chinese PinYin : Bei Jing Kong Miao