Temple of ConfuciusThe second largest Confucius temple in China, after one in Qufu, is located in the Andingmen area in central Beijing. Built in 1302 during the Yuan Dynasty, the temple covers 5.4 square kilometers. Throughout the Ming and Qing Dynasties, renovations were made to the temple many times.
The temple is arranged around four courtyards and a number of halls and gates, including the Dacheng Hall, the main hall in which ceremonies were held, the Gate of the First Teacher, the Gate of Great Accomplishment, and the Worship Hall. Fourteen steel pavilions hold information on the Ming and Qing Dynasties and 198 stone tablets bear the names of various Yuan, Ming and Qing scholars. Generally, Confucian temples don’t have idols, but the temple in Beijing is an exception; there’s a large statue of Confucius opposite the Gate of Great Accomplishment.
A fine picture of two dragons playing with a pearl among the clouds hangs in the temple. Dragons are the symbols of the emperor, and they only appear in places the emperor held in high esteem, so the painting’s presence is a good indicator of its importance.
A 700 year-old Cypress tree stands on the temple grounds. Legend has it that an evil minister once came to pay homage at the temple, and one of the tree’s branches reached down and took off his hat, and so people knew the minister’s true nature.
