Hancheng Confucian Temple

Confucius, a great thinker and educator in ancient China, was respected by monarchs of many dynasties since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD). The name of the temple changed with Confucius’ honorary names again and again. It has been called Wen Miao, Fuzi Miao, Xianshi Miao, and was finally named Confucius Temple in the Ming and Qing Periods (1368-1911). It was specially built for offering sacrifices to Confucius.

Located on Dongxue Lane in Hancheng City, this is the third largest Confucius Temple in China. It is a set of architecture groups of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) that are preserved intact. Currently, it has 22 main and complementary buildings, altogether 78 rooms, and is the largest and best preserved ancient architecture in western China.

The Confucius Temple is made up of five main buildings and four tightly connected courtyards. Lingxing Gate is the portal of the temple. After walking through the portal, one will enter the first courtyard with masses of flowers and shady trees. On the eastern and western side of the courtyard, the Clothes Changing Pavilion (Gengyi Ting) and Fasting Room stand symmetrically, and the three rooms to the north are situated by the Vouge Gate (Ji Men), which leads to the second courtyard. Further north lies the Dacheng Palace, the main building here, in which sacrifices were performed on the memorial tablet of Confucius. Passing through the doorway of the angle will lead to the third courtyard, the place in which Confucius gave lessons of disabusing. The fourth courtyard lies across Minglun Hall, as well as the Zunjing Pavilion, which is used to store volumes of sermons.

This Confucius temple also features the Hancheng Museum, in which thousands of cultural relics are stored.