Elliot Maldonado, originally from the US, works for China Daily. He recently attended the China International Confucius Cultural Festival in Qufu, Shandong. Elliot walks us through a vast complex dedicated solely to the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius (1494–1552) and his descendants.
The Daxuetang (pronounced da shway tahng) Study Hall is the world’s largest and oldest Confucius shrine. The temple at the center of the complex contains the Jin Sheng Yu Zhen Archway, Ling Xing Gate, Hong Dao Gate, and the Chenghua Stele before reaching the Daxuetang Hall.
Daxuetang is in the Nishan sacred land, a new tourism area commemorating Confucius. Dachengtan, on the other hand, is the largest shrine to Confucius and is connected with the Kong family mansion.
A Stele is a remnant stone, often decorated with images, inscriptions, reliefs, or ornamentation.
”The wisdom of ancient Chinese culture is very much alive here”, says Maldonado.
Some 30 kilometers southeast of Qufu (pronounced choo foo) is Nishan Sacred Land, where a small mountain called Nishan Mountain is said to be the birthplace of Confucius. Built next to this mountain, the Nishan Study Hall features a stately exterior and a lavish interior. Here stands a massive statue of Confucius, about 30 stories tall.
Watch Elliot’s video from the temple area
The Grand Study Hall, Daxuetang, is a central building of the Nishan Sacred Land. The architectural style strives to embody a perfect blend of art of Confucian wisdom and modern architecture.
The statues in the gallery of Confucius’ 72 sages vividly depict the stories of Confucius and his disciples. ”You can almost hear him teaching,” says Maldonado.
”Being a part of the 2024 China International Confucius Culture Festival showed the depth and importance of the culture around Confucius”, Maldonado explains. ”I hope people get the chance to visit his hometown.”
Confucius greatly influenced the Chinese way of thinking. Lao Tse is another thinker whose influence on China continues today.
Source: Elliot’s exploration of Confucius cultural festival, China Daily