Confucius Temple: Wisdom Carried Trough Millennium

#chinatrip The Beijing Temple of Confucius is a living book of the history of the dynasties that ruled China from the great city. The temple was founded in 1302 during the reign of the second emperor of the Yuan dynasty Temur, grandson of the founder of the Mongolian state Khan Kublai. The temple was built at the beginning of the decline of the short-lived dynasty that arose as a result of the fall of the great Mongol empire of Genghis Khan and saw eleven emperors in less than 100 years. This temple is the second largest temple of Confucius, the largest is located in Qufu, the hometown of the sage. The temple is located near Guozijian, the "Academy of the Sons of the State", so the history of these two buildings is closely intertwined. Guozijian was a higher education institution where students from high-ranking families studied the classics of Confucianism. The academy was built just four years after the foundation of the temple in 1306, and ceased to function in 1905. Here, students took the three-year Kejiu Imperial Examination in the hope of getting high marks and the status of an "advanced scholar" Jinshi (進士), in order to take a high position in government bodies. The temple complex has an area of 22,000 square meters and includes four courtyards. Among the main structures of the complex are Xianshi Gate (Gate of the First Teacher), Dacheng Gate (Gate of Complete Perfection), Dacheng Hall (Hall of Complete Perfection) and Chongsheng (Hall of Worship). Dacheng Hall is the main building of the temple, where ceremonies of commemoration of the sage were often held. Its gable roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles. Its color was chosen for good reason, because yellow in China was a symbol of imperial power, the element of the Earth. There are also several museums on the territory of the temple of Confucius, the exposition of which introduces the life of the Great Teacher and the culture of his time, as well as presents decorative and applied art products to visitors.