Temple Of Confucius

Confucianism is a folk religion in China and other East and Southeast Asian countries. It's history is more than 2,500 years.

Temple of Confucius
Kohsiung Confucian Temple in Taiwan.
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	孔廟
Simplified Chinese	孔庙
Literal meaning	Temple of Confucius (Kong)
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Kǒngmiào
Temple of Literature
Traditional Chinese	文廟
Simplified Chinese	文庙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wénmiào Southern Min Hokkien POJ Bûn-biō
Temple of the Sage
Traditional Chinese	聖廟
Simplified Chinese	圣庙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shèngmiào Southern Min Hokkien POJ Sèng-biō
Temple of the Master
Traditional Chinese	夫子廟
Simplified Chinese	夫子庙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Fūzi miào
Temple of Study
Traditional Chinese	學廟
Simplified Chinese	学庙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xuémiào
Palace of Study
Traditional Chinese	學宮
Simplified Chinese	学宫
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xuégōng
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	Văn Miếu Văn Thánh Miếu
Chữ Hán	文廟 文聖廟
Literal meaning	Temple of (the Sage of) Literature
Korean name
Hangul	문묘 공자묘
Hanja	文廟 孔子廟
Literal meaning	Temple of Literature Temple of Confucius
Transcriptions Revised Romanization Munmyo Kongja myo
Japanese name
Kanji	聖廟 聖堂
Transcriptions Romanization Seibyō Seidō
Indonesian name
Indonesian	Boen Bio
Manchu name
Manchu script	ᡴᡠᠩᡶᡠᡯ ᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡨᡝᡥᡝᠨ
Möllendorff	Kungfudzi-i muktehen

In the past, these temples used to be where the imperial examination happened. This was in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. They often included schools and other places for studying for them.

The birthplace of Confucius is Qufu, Shandong contains the Temple of Confucius. Inside is a very tall statue (72 meters) made of brass and strengthened with steel. This temple is the biggest and oldest Confucius temple in the world, and it is also a UNESCO world heritage site since 1994.

The temples are called by many different names in East and Southeast Asia. The most important ones in Qufu and Beijing are now called "Temples of Confucius" in Chinese (Kǒngmiào, 孔廟). In some places, they are called "Temples of Literature" (文廟) (Chinese: wénmiào; Vietnamese: văn miếu; Korean: munmyo; Indonesian: boen bio) or "Temples of the Sage of Literature" (Vietnamese: văn thánh miếu). In Southern China, temples with these names usually honor Wenchang Wang, a separate deity linked to the scholar Zhang Yazi. In Japan, they are commonly known as "Temples" or "Halls of the Sage" (Japanese: seibyō or seidō).

 

Temples dedicated to Confucius were built as more people honored him. In 195 BC, Han Gao Zu, who started the Han dynasty, paid respects to Confucius at his tomb in Qufu. People began to worship Confucius and his disciple Yan Hui at the Imperial University around 241.

 

In 454, the Liu Song dynasty in southern China built an important state Confucian temple. By 489, the Northern Wei built another Confucian temple in the capital, extending beyond Qufu in the north. In 630, the Tang dynasty made Confucian temples mandatory in schools across provinces and counties, spreading them throughout China. Notable Confucian shrines include those in Jianshui, Xi'an (now the Forest of Steles), Nanjing's Fuzi Miao, and Beijing's Confucian Temple, first established in 1302. The old Confucian Temple in Tianjin, near Traditional Culture Street, covers 32 acres and stands as the largest surviving group of traditional architecture buildings in Tianjin.

 

The biggest and oldest Temple of Confucius is in Qufu, Shandong Province of China, this is where Confucius was born. Duke Ai of the State of Lu ordered its establishment in 479 BC, a year after Confucius passed away. The temple grew larger over more than 2,000 years, becoming the huge complex it is today. Another temple exists in Quzhou. Other than state-linked Confucian temples, there were ancestral temples for the Kong lineage, buildings commemorating Confucius's accomplishments nationwide, and private temples within educational institutions.

 

Starting from the Tang dynasty (618–907), they built Confucian temples in schools across the empire. These temples were built at the front or on the side of the schools. The front gate is called the Lingxing Gate. Inside, there were usually three courtyards, but sometimes only two. However, the Qufu complex has nine courtyards with many stone slabs commemorating visits by emperors or imperial grants of titles to Confucius' descendants. The main building, in the inner courtyard, accessed through the Dachengmen, is called the Dachengdian, translated as "Hall of Great Achievement", "Hall of Great Completion," or "Hall of Great Perfection". In imperial China, this halls housed the Spirit Tablets of Confucius and other important sages. In front of the Dachengdian in Qufu is the Apricot Pavilion or Xingtan. Another important building behind the main one is the Shrine of Adoring the Sage, honoring Confucius' ancestors and the fathers of the Four Correlates and Twelve Philosophers.

 

Confucian temples, unlike Taoist or Buddhist ones, usually do not have statues. In the early years of the Qufu temple, the spirits of Confucius and his disciples were shown in wall paintings. Official temples included images of Confucius, but this was opposed as imitating Buddhist temples. The focus was argued to be on honoring Confucius's teachings rather than the man himself.

 

To solve the lack of uniformity in Confucius statues, Emperor Taizu of the Ming dynasty ordered that new Confucian temples should only have spirit tablets and no statues. In 1530, it was decided that existing images of Confucius in imperial temples should be replaced with spirit tablets. However, many modern Confucian temples still have statues, especially those run by Confucius's family descendants, like the one in Qufu.

 

Confucian worship mainly includes offering sacrifices to Confucius's spirit at the Confucian temple.

A dance called the Eight-Row Dance, originally the Six-Row Dance, is performed at these temples. The dance involves eight columns of eight dancers each and was granted to Confucius in 1477 as an imperial honor, given the title of king after his death. The accompanying musicians play yayue music.

Apart from honoring Confucius, Confucian temples also pay tribute to the "Four Correlates," the "Twelve Philosophers," and other disciples and scholars of Confucianism throughout history. The number and composition of figures worshipped changed over time, leading to controversy over which Confucians to enshrine. By the 20th century, there were 162 figures worshipped, including the Four Correlates (Yan Hui, Zeng Shen, Kong Ji, and Mencius) and the Twelve Philosophers.

As Confucian teachings spread across East Asia, temples made for Confucius were built in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. From the 18th century onwards, some temples even appeared in Europe and the Americas. At its peak, there were more than 3,000 Confucian temples globally.

In Korea

 

The highest number of Confucian temples outside China can be found in Korea. These temples, often linked to schools, first started during the Goryeo period (918–1392). Confucianism gained prominence in the Joseon dynasty, leading to the establishment of government Confucian schools (Hanggyo 항교) for training officials. These schools included teaching buildings and a memorial tablet house called Daesongjeon 대성전. While inspired by Chinese models, Korea introduced variations, such as building schools in front of temples. Korea also added its own scholars, the eighteen scholars of the East, to the Confucian pantheon (the five sages).

In Korea's history, there were 362 Confucian temples. After World War II and the division of the country, those in the North transformed into centers of traditional culture (Gukjagam). Some of the 232 temples in the South continued their activities. Alongside Confucianism-focused temples, the Republic of Korea also has twelve Confucian family temples, two temples in private schools, and three libraries.

In Taiwan

 

The first Confucian temple in Taiwan was the Taiwan Confucian Temple, built in Tainan in 1665 during the Tungning Kingdom. Another temple, the Taipei Confucius Temple, was constructed in Taipei in 1879, demolished in 1907, and rebuilt on Dalong Street from 1925 to 1939. Designed by Wang Yi-Shun, the new temple follows the typical Fujian temple style. Every year, on September 28, Confucius's birthday, the Shidian Ceremony takes place. There's also a Confucian temple in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, completed in 1974 in the Northern Song architectural style. Additional Confucian temples are in Chiayi City, Taipei, Taichung, and Changhua County.

In Japan

In Japan, Confucian temples (kōshi-byō) were commonly constructed, often alongside Confucian schools. The Yushima Seidō, established in 1630 during the Edo period, is the most famous. At first it was a private school linked to the Neo-Confucianist scholar Hayashi Razan. Originally in Shinobi-ga-oka in Ueno, it was later moved to near present-day Ochanomizu by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Shogunate also established a significant state-sponsored school, Shoheikō, on its grounds.

In Vietnam

 

In Vietnam, a Confucian temple is known as Văn Miếu. The earliest recorded Văn Miếu is in Hanoi, established in 1070 during the Lý dynasty. Starting from 1397, Confucian temples, including the renowned Văn Miếu in Hưng Yên City, spread across Vietnam with the construction of schools during the Tran dynasty.

In Indonesia

Confucian temples are also in Indonesia, known as "Churches of Confucius". Confucianism is a recognized religion in the country. The largest and oldest is Boen Bio temple in Surabaya, initially constructed in the city's Chinatown in 1883 and later moved in 1907. Reportedly, there are over 100 Confucianist halls of worship across Indonesia.

In Malaysia

The first Confucian temple in Malaysia was built within the Chung Hwa Confucian School in Penang in the early 20th century. This school, started by the Qing dynasty ambassador to the British Straits Settlement at the time, later split into SJK(C) Chung Hwa Confucian A, B, and SMJK Chung Hwa Confucian. Parents brought their children to this temple for prayers before starting school, seeking excellence in studies.

Kuala Lumpur has two Confucian schools, SMJK Confucian and Confucian Private School, along with a Confucian school in Malacca, where ceremonies in honor of Confucius happen yearly.