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 temple complex dedicated solely to the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius.
The Daxuetang (pronounced Dachue-tang) Study Hall is the world’s largest and oldest Confucius shrine. The temple at the center of the Nishan Sacred Land contains the Jin Sheng Gyuszen Archway, Ling Xing Gate, Hong Dao Gate, and the Chenghua Stele before reaching the Daxuetang Hall.
A Stele is a remnant stone, often decorated with images, inscriptions, reliefs, or ornamentation.
The temple includes the Kong Family Mansion, the home of Confucius’s descendants.
”The wisdom of ancient Chinese culture is very much alive here”, says Maldonado.
Some 30 kilometers southeast of Qufu (pronounced Shufu) 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”, Moldonado explains. ”I hope people get the chance to visit his hometown.”
Confucius greatly influenced the Chinese way of thinking. Lao Tse is another thinker who influenced China up till modern times.
Source: Elliot’s exploration of Confucius cultural festival, China Daily