The Confucian Temple, once known as the ‘Sacred Temple’ and ‘School Palace’, is a complex of ritual architecture dedicated to the worship of Confucius. Historical records from the Qing Dynasty, specifically the ‘Anqing Prefecture Annals’ and ‘Tongcheng County Annals’, indicate that the Tongcheng Confucian Temple was initially located outside the eastern suburbs of the county seat. Its construction dates back to the early years of Yuan Yanyou in 1314 AD. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by war towards the end of the Yuan Dynasty.
In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, during the reign of Hongwu, Magistrate Qu Nahai relocated the Confucian Temple to its present site. Over time, the temple suffered repeated damage from warfare and the elements. A particularly devastating incident occurred in 1853, during the third year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty, when the temple was severely damaged, leaving only the stone Lingxing Gate standing.
Throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties, the temple underwent 19 repairs. In 1864 and 1866, during the third and fifth years of Tongzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty, local gentry and magistrates contributed funds to initiate the temple’s restoration. The restored temple now includes screen walls, gate towers, 泮 pools (bridges), Dacheng Gate, Wenchang Shrine, Chongsheng Shrine, long corridors on the east and west sides, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, and palace walls.
The temple is divided into front and back courtyards, demarcated by the Dacheng Gate, and has grown to its current scale. Despite its many ups and downs, the Confucian Temple has been restored to its original grandeur. The renovated temple boasts a magnificent layout, simple elegance, vast scale, and a harmonious unity, akin to a set of solidified, beautiful musical scores.The Confucian Temple’s gate tower features the characters “Confucian Temple,” which are inlaid with gold and inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu.
Regarding the opening hours, the temple is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, and also from 09:00 to 16:30. However, it is closed all day on Mondays throughout the year. Please note that the specific business status may vary depending on the day’s opening situation.
