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The Temple of Confucius, Qufu
The Temple of Confucius, Qufu, is the holy cites of Confucianism. It is located in the hometown of Qufu. The place is located in Shandong Sheng Province in Eastern China and seventy miles south of Jinan. Historically, the temple was built in 478 BC purposefully to commemorate and offer sacrifices to Confucius (Sommer 76). Also, it was made a UNESCO heritage site in 1994 due to the increasing number of Confucius followers who pays rites to the temple. Notably, Confucius believers performed a celebration every year between September 26th and October 10th in the City of Qufu, which was the hometown of Confucius. The date of celebration marks the birthday of Confucius on September 28th in Shandong Province, around 551bc to 479 BC. Consequently, the features of the Temple of Confucius, Qufu, depict wall painting representations with clay and wooden statues (Murray 164). It also contains the image of Confucius. The usage involves a representation of a Chinese philosopher who generated a belief in the fundamental goodness, improvable, teachable, and perfectible nature of human beings, where the communal and personal like the self-creation and self-cultivation endeavor (Sommer 75). Therefore, the study is premised on comprehensively analyzing the Temple of Confucius, Qufu.
Temple of Confucius, Qufu comprises structures like schools characterized by a front gate called Lingxing gate. Inside the temple, three-country yards comprise the steles scores commemorate the emperor’s visits. Also, the Hall of Great Completion is a structure in the temple and contains worthies and sages (Nakajima 164). Consequently, the shrine of Adoring Sage exists, which is used for honoring Confucius’s ancestors and the twelve philosophers. Other structures in the temple are sculptures of Confucius, clay, and wooden statues.
The structures were made for specific functions like the schools for generating knowledge, a country yard with steles to commemorate a visit by the emperor, and the Hall of Great Completion, which accommodates the worshipers. Also, the shrine of adoring Sage is purposed in honoring the ancestors. Wooden and clay statues symbolize the real Confucius.
The hall of Great Completion has a huge place to accommodate the worshipers who offer sacrifices. The place also acts as a center of teaching the knowledge of social duties, ethical behaviors, social responsibility, and good governance. Also, the school in the Temple of Confucius, Qufu, aims to teach literature, philosophy, and political governance (Nakajima 164). Notably, an individual who was responsible for building the Temple of Confucius, Qufu, was Duke Ai. Duke Ai was a rule the Lu state a year after the death of Confucius. After its construction, the temple exhibited a gradual expansion making it an ancestral place owned by the lineage of the King.
The space is perceived as a holy place for the Confucianists. Sacrifices are offered in the place as well philosophical teachings and literature. There exist specific activities associated with using the Temple of Confucius, Qufu. The activities are offering sacrifices, worshiping, and acquiring philosophical knowledge about Confucianism (Nakajima 163). Majorly, the place is utilized between September to October globally to commemorate the birth of Confucius. Worshipers travel to destinations globally to offer sacrifices and perform the ritual. Worshiping is also regarded through ceremonies, creating a sense of belonging to Confucianists.
Confucianism continues to have many followers’ rituals and sacrifices offered to appease the ancestors. Also, the gods are worshiped through Confucius. Active participation in religious worship, sacrifices, and learning is exhibited in the area (Nakajima 161). Mostly, most Chinese are worshippers of gods attached to Confucianism (Murray 165). Worshipping involves adopting the moral values and standards as required by the teachings of Confucius. Furthermore, Kong Fu and Karate activities are carried out in the area hence regarded as a place for social and religious sports ceremonies.
Confucianism remains one of the most populated religions in the world. Worshipers mostly come from the Asian continent. After the founder’s death, the Temple of Confucius, Qufu, was built by Ai in 475 BC (Nakajima 160). The temple acted as a place where the worshipers could offer sacrifices and rituals to appease the ancestors. The place is also characterized by sculptures and wall painting that describes the image of the founder Confucius.
Works Cited
Sommer, Deborah A. “Traces of the Sage: Monument, Materiality, and the First Temple of Confucius.” (2018): 75-77. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0737769X.2018.1436022
Murray, Julia K. “James A. Flath: Traces of the Sage: Monument, Materiality, and the First Temple of Confucius. (Spatial Habitus: Making and Meaning in Asia’s Architecture.) xix, 290 pp. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2016.£ 50.95. ISBN 978 0 8248 5370 9.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 81.1 (2018): 165-166. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/paaf/paaf/2018/00000091/00000001/art00022
Nakajima, Takahiro. “Civil Spirituality and Confucian Piety Today: The Activities of Confucian Temples in Qufu, Taipei, and Changchun.” The Varieties of Confucian Experience. Brill, 2018. 153-175. https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004374966/BP000014.xml
