Fuzhou Confucian Temple locates in Gulou District. It was originally built in 773 during the Tang Dynasty. The existing Confucian Temple was rebuilt in 1851 during Qing Dynasty.
History of Confucian Temple of Fuzhou
At first, the temple was used as the prefectural school. In 921 of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, Wang Shenzhi changed it to a National College similar to the Imperial College in Beijing, where teachers taught the Confucian classics. The students from the normal families all could study in the Confucian Temple.
Later, due to social unrest, the National College was abolished. During the Northern Song Dynasty (976-983), the envoy Yang Kerang built it as a Confucian Temple on the original site. Since then, the Confucian Temple has continued to revive and expand.
In the 4th year of the Northern Song Dynasty (1037 AD), Xie Wei, a state officer, managed to run a school at the Confucian Temple. Later, the scale of the Confucian Temple was greatly reduced by the fires successively in the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. In the Qing Dynasty, the Confucian Temple was heavily destroyed by disasters. The existing one was rebuilt in 1851.
After the foundation of the new China, it was used as a school, children’s activity venue or even a shopping center.
Buildings at Confucian Temple of Fuzhou
The existing Confucian Temple covers a total area of 7,552 square meters, with a construction area of 4,000 square meters. From south to north on the central axis, there are main gate, Lianxing Gate and Panchi Pond. Symmetric corridors stand on both sides. There are also the Dacheng Gate, side halls, platforms, Dacheng Hall, screen walls, etc.
Dacheng Hall has a length of 32 meters and a width of 9 meters. Its surrounding is decorated with railings. There are 18 stone pillars in the hall. The stone pillars are very huge, each of which weighs about 9 tons. There is an exquisite ancient astrological map at the top of the hall, with the golden constellations shining brightly.
Inside the hall, there is a newly-made bluestone carved seated-statue of Confucius, which is 25.51 meters high. On the east, west and north sides, there are 72 statues with different shapes and expressions, who were renowned students of Confucius. The statues are all exquisitely and vividly carved.