Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao)
Located on Guozijian Street inside Anding Gate, the Temple of Confucius in
Beijing is the place where people paid homage to Confucius during the Yuan
Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Now
the temple houses the Beijing Capital Museum.
The Temple of Confucius was initially built in 1302 and additions were made
during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a total area of 22,000 square meters
(5.4 acres). It is the second largest temple constructed for Confucius, the
greatest thinker and educationalist in ancient China, ranking only behind the
Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong Province.
This temple consists of four courtyards. The main structures include
Xianshi Gate (Gate of the First Teacher), Dacheng Gate (Gate of Great
Accomplishment), Dacheng Hall (Hall of Great Accomplishment) and Chongshengci
(Worship Hall). Dacheng Hall is the main building in the temple, where the
memorial ceremony for Confucius was often held. Inside the temple one can see
that 198 stone tablets are positioned on either side of the front courtyard,
containing 51,624 names of Jinshi (the advanced scholars) of the Yuan, Ming and
Qing dynasties. Also 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties
hold the precious historical information of ancient China.
One item of note is the 700-year-old Chujian Bai (Touch Evil Cypress) in
the temple. Its name is associated with an ancient legend. During the Ming
Dynasty, one day the superior official-Yan Song came to worship Confucius on
behalf of the emperor. When he was passing by the cypress, one of the branches
of the tree took his hat off. Since Yan Song was a treacherous official, people
have thought the old tree could distinguish between good and evil people. Hence
its name.
In the temple, you can also find remarkable pictures like two flying
dragons playing a pearl among clouds, which are believed to be used only in the
imperial palaces because dragon stands for emperor in ancient China. From those,
it is easy to imagine the importance of the Confucius Temple in the feudal
society of China.