Temple of Confucius

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Confucian temple
)
Temple of Confucius
Hán-Nôm
文廟
文(聖)廟
Literal meaningTemple of (the Sage of) Literature
Korean name
Hangul문묘
공자묘
Hanja文廟
孔子廟
Literal meaningTemple of Literature
Temple of Confucius
Japanese name
Kanji聖廟
聖堂
Indonesian name
IndonesianBoen Bio
Manchu name
Manchu scriptᡴᡠᠩᡶᡠᡯ ᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡨᡝᡥᡝᠨ
Möllendorffkungfudzi-i muktehen

A temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a

Vietnam
and often housed schools and other studying facilities.

There is a 72-meter-tall statue of Confucius made of brass and reinforced with steel. The giant statue is located in Qufu, Shandong province, birthplace of the ancient Chinese educator and philosopher.

Names

The temples are known by a variety of names throughout East Asia. The two greatest temples in Qufu and Beijing are now known in Chinese as "Temples of Confucius" (Kǒngmiào, 孔廟). In some localities, they are known as "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, however, temples by that name generally honor Wenchang Wang, a separate deity associated with the scholar Zhang Yazi. In Japan, they are usually known as "Temples" or "Halls of the Sage" (Japanese: seibyō or seidō, respectively).

History

Hall of Great Perfection (Dacheng Hall) of the Confucius temple in Qufu

The development of state temples devoted to the cult of Confucius was an outcome of his gradual canonisation. In 195 BC,

Yan Hui
, his most prominent disciple, began in the Imperial University (Biyong) as early as 241.

In 454, the

Confucian Temple in Beijing
, first built in 1302. The Confucian Temple of old Tianjin is located on Dongmennei Dajie, a short distance west of Traditional Culture Street (Gu Wenhua Jie). Occupying 32 acres of land, the Confucian Temple is the largest extant traditional architectural complex in Tianjin.

The largest and oldest Temple of Confucius is found in Confucius' hometown, present-day Qufu in Shandong Province. It was established in 479 BC, one year after Confucius's death, at the order of the Duke Ai of the State of Lu, who commanded that the Confucian residence should be used to worship and offer sacrifice to Confucius. The temple was expanded repeatedly over a period of more than 2,000 years until it became the huge complex currently standing. There is another temple in Quzhou. In addition to Confucian temples associated with the state cult of Confucius, there were also ancestral temples belonging to the Kong lineage, buildings commemorating Confucius's deeds throughout China, and private temples within

academies
.

Structure

The gates of the Temple of Confucius in Datong, Shanxi.

Beginning in the Tang dynasty (618–907), Confucian temples were built in prefectural and county schools throughout the empire, either to the front of or on one side of the school.

Spirit Tablets (Chinese: 神位) of Confucius and those of other important sages (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ) and worthies (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ). In front of the Dachengdian in Qufu is the Apricot Pavilion or Xingtan (simplified Chinese: 杏坛; traditional Chinese: 杏壇). Another important building behind the main building is the Shrine of Adoring the Sage (Chongshengci simplified Chinese: 崇圣祠; traditional Chinese
: 崇聖祠), which honoured the ancestors of Confucius and the fathers of the Four Correlates and Twelve Philosophers.

Main hall of the Temple of Confucius in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

Unlike Taoist or Buddhist temples, Confucian temples do not normally have images. In the early years of the temple in Qufu, it appears that the spirits of Confucius and his disciples were represented with wall paintings and clay or wooden statues. Official temples also contained images of Confucius himself. However, there was opposition to this practice, which was seen as imitative of Buddhist temples.[2] It was also argued that the point of the imperial temples was to honour Confucius's teachings, not the man himself.

The lack of unity in likenesses in statues of Confucius first led Emperor Taizu of the Ming dynasty to decree that all new Confucian temples should contain only spirit tablets and no images. In 1530, it was decided that all existing images of Confucius should be replaced with spirit tablets in imperial temples in the capital and other bureaucratic locations; nevertheless many modern Confucian temples do feature statues. Statues also remained in temples operated by Confucius's family descendants, such as that in Qufu.

Worship

The worship of Confucius centred upon offering sacrifices to Confucius's spirit in the Confucian temple.

A dance known as the Eight-Row Dance (八佾舞), consisting of eight columns of eight dancers each, was also performed. Originally this was a Six-Row Dance, as performed for the lesser aristocracy, but in 1477 Confucius was allowed the imperial honour of the eight-row dance since he posthumously received the title of king. Musicians who accompanied this dance played a form of music termed yayue.

In addition to worshipping Confucius, Confucian temples also honour the "

Confucian orthodoxy
, the issue of which Confucians to enshrine was a controversial one.

By the

Kong Ji (Zisi), and Mencius. The Twelve Philosophers are Min Sun (Ziqian), Ran Geng (Boniu), Ran Yong (Zhonggong), Zai Yu (Ziwo), Zi-gong, Ran You, Zi-Lu, Zi-You, Zi-Xia, Zi-Zhang, You Ruo, and Zhu Xi. A list of disciples of Confucius and their place in the Confucian temple can be found at Disciples of Confucius
.

  • Prayer plaques in a temple of Confucius
    Prayer plaques in a temple of Confucius
  • Aak musicians at a Confucian ceremony in Munmyo Shrine, Korea
    Aak musicians at a Confucian ceremony in Munmyo Shrine, Korea
  • The Temple of Confucius in Jiading, now a suburb of Shanghai. The Jiading Temple of Confucius now operates a museum devoted to the imperial exam formerly administered at the temples.
    The Temple of Confucius in
    imperial exam
    formerly administered at the temples.
  • The Hall of Great Achievement of the Temple of Confucius in Harbin, Heilongjiang.
    The Hall of Great Achievement of the Temple of Confucius in Harbin, Heilongjiang.

Outside mainland China

With the spread of Confucian learning throughout East Asia, Confucian temples were also built in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. Starting in the 18th century, some were even built in Europe and the Americas. At their height, there are estimated to have been over 3,000 Confucian temples in existence.

Hong Kong

Confucian Hall next to Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong

The bill allowing for the building of the very first Confucian temple in Hong Kong, proposed by the Confucian Academy, passed in September 2013. The location of the temple was decided to be near the famous Taoist temple, Wong Tai Sin Temple, in Wong Tai Sin District.[3]

Taiwan

Taipei Confucius Temple

The first Confucian temple in

Changhua County
.

Vietnam

A Văn Miếu, or Temple of Literature, in Hanoi, Vietnam

A Confucian temple in Vietnam is called Văn Miếu.

Bắc Ninh
.

Korea

Munmyo in Seoul, South Korea

Outside China, the largest number of Confucian temples is found in Korea. Temples as part of schools were first built during the

Yi Seonggye (r. 1392–1398), Confucianism underpinned the new dynasty and its government. Thus government Confucian schools (Hyanggyo 항교)[5] were built throughout Joseon to educate future government officials in Confucianism. These consisted of a building for teaching, together with a building (Daesongjeon 대성전) which housed the memorial tablets of Confucius.[6]
Although Chinese models were followed, variations in layout and construction were common, such as the building of schools in front of temples. Korea also added its own scholars (the eighteen scholars of the East) to the Confucian pantheon (the five sages).

Historically, Korea had a total of 362 temples devoted to Confucianism. After

Republic of Korea
also has twelve Confucian family temples, two temples in private schools, and three libraries.

Japan

Entrance gate of reconstructed Yushima Seidō.

Confucian temples (孔子廟, kōshi-byō) were also widely built in Japan, often in conjunction with Confucian schools. The most famous is the

Tokugawa Shogunate
, and a major state-sponsored school, Shoheikō, was opened on tis grounds.

Other well-known Confucian temples are found in

Okinawa prefecture.[citation needed
]

Indonesia

A Confucian church in Surabaya, Indonesia

Confucian temples are also found in Indonesia, where they are often known as "Churches of Confucius" as Confucianism is a recognised religion in that country. In Chinese, these establishments are known as

litang (礼堂) or "halls of worship". The largest and oldest is the Boen Bio in Surabaya, originally built in the city's Chinatown
in 1883 and moved to a new site in 1907. There are reportedly more than 100 Confucianist halls of worship throughout Indonesia.

Malaysia

The first Confucian temple in Malaysia was built within a primary school known as

Straits Settlement
at that time. In those days parents in Penang brought their children to this temple for prayer before they began their schooling. The children prayed for excellence in their studies.

There are also two Confucian schools in Kuala Lumpur, namely SMJK Confucian and Confucian Private School, and a Confucian school in Malacca where ceremonies in honour of Confucius are held annually.

List of temples

Temple of Confucius in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
.
The Daizhou Confucian Temple in Dai County, Shanxi.

See also

References

  1. ^ Liu, Xu. Tang shu 唐書. Beijing: Zhonghua shuji. p. 15.373.
  2. ^ Sommer, Deborah (2002). "Destroying Confucius: Iconoclasm in the Confucian Temple". On Sacred Grounds: Culture, Society, Politics and the Formation of the Cult of Confucius: 95–133.
  3. ^ "孔廟黃大仙新地標" [Wong Tai Sin Temple of Confucius landmark]. The Sun (in Chinese). Hong Kong. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Dịch hai chữ Văn Miếu ra tiếng Tây". Archived from the original on 2016-08-17.
  5. ^ "대성전(大成殿) Daeseongjeon". encykorea.aks.ac.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  6. ^ Ahn, Myeong-ho. "대성전(大成殿) Daesongjeon". encykorea.aks.ac.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-29.

External links