Accolades
- One of the oldest Confucian Temples in China.
- Place to Worship Confucius.
- Near the center of the city.
Features
Zhengzhou Confucius Temple is used to worship Confucius and other sages. A temple was built there during the Eastern Han Dynasty era (25-220 AD) when the Eastern Han Empire had their capital in Luoyang not far to the west. The modern temple has several buildings and some highlights to see.
The Dacheng Hall is a big building. It is at the center of the complex. The Table Corridor is left of the Dacheng Hall. There are some old tablets there. The Zunjing Pavilion is behind the Dacheng Hall. In the front of the complex, you will see the Lingxing Gate, the Panchi Pond and the Ji Door. In the back, there are the Minglun Hall, Jingyiting Pavilion, Zunjing Pavilion, Soil Temple, and Corner Gates.
A highlight are the glazed tile ornamentation and the decoration on the Dacheng Hall. The multicolor artwork on the building portray the Jade Emperor who is a supreme deity of Taoism and characters from stories and legends of the Three Kingdoms. The Three Kingdoms were the three kingdoms that emerged when the Eastern Han Empire fell in 220 AD. Another highlight is the sacrificial ceremonies that are held in the temple in the spring and autumn.
History
Zhengzhou Confucius Temple was initially built in the years 58-75 of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the last 2,000 years, it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. In June of 1963, the Dacheng Hall that was built in the Qing Dynasty era was declared to be a protected site by the government of Henan Province. In 2004, 2005, and 2006, the Zhengzhou government allocated 30,000,000 RMB (4,638,000 USD) to renovate the complex. They hung the Dacheng Clock that weighs 1278.5 kg in front of the Dacheng Hall in order to commemorate the 2557th birthday of Confucius. It isn’t really known when he was born though.
Transportation
Bus: If you are near the Zhenghou Railway Station, just take Bus No. 85 to get to Zhengzhou Confucius Temple. Other buses that go there include: 60, 60 Express, 85, 89 and K805.
Address: Zhengzhou Confucius Temple, Guancheng Avenue. Here is the address in Chinese to give to a driver or guide: 郑州文庙中国河南省郑州市管城回族区东大街郑州文庙.
