Old Gate at the Confucius Temple 孔庙 Entrance
Qufu is most famous for history, in particular, it is known for its most famous son, Confucius who was born more than two thousand years ago. His teaching has shaped much of the Chinese psyche and he is revered throughout the centuries. This deep reverence has resulting in the construction of a temple dedicated to him – the Confucius Temple. The Confucius Temple is actually just one component of the Three Kongs 三孔 which are found in Qufu. Kong is actually the surname of Confucius, so Three Kongs means the three places related to Confucius.
Marker at the Confucius Temple 孔庙
Throughout the centuries, the Chinese people give reverence to very important people, sometimes elevating them to the status of a saint as in the case of Confucius, who was very much a real person. The Confucius Temple is the first Kong people get to visit. I will be the first to admit that I do not know much about the works of Confucius or his life other than what I have heard about when I was young. Fortunately, there is the internet which will make this much easier. The gate itself has a very old feeling to it, this is in contrast to the extremely elaborate structures built by the Ming and Qing dynasty. It reminds me of the gate I saw in Dai Temple back in Tai’an City. I guess this was a style that was used two thousand years ago. At least it has this feel of authenticity.
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