Forbidden City - Confucius Temple

After the Summer Palace, I wound my way through another expansive area, Yuanmingyuan Park, also known as the Winter Palace. It was a complex of palaces and gardens built between the 18th and 19th centuries as the imperial residence for the Qianlong Emperor and his successors. The palace was completely sacked and razed to the ground during the Anglo-Sino War and the Boxer Rebellion. Attempts to restore the palace were eventually abandoned due to lack of funds, and today, it remains in ruins.

Heading east, I strolled through the enormous Olympic Forest Park. Located north of the Olympic Stadium, this man-made nature park is an absolute haven for locals and tourists alike. It features walking and cycling paths, forests, flora, wetlands, lakes, the man-made Yanshan Mountain with viewing platforms and the Yangshan River coursing through the entire park.

As I passed the Olympic Stadium, I marvelled at the magnificent interwoven steel framework. The stadium's architectural concept was inspired by Chinese ceramics, giving rise to a "nest scheme" design of a red concrete seating bowl surrounded by an outer steel frame resembling a bird's nest.

As I continued south, I arrived at the Temple of Confucius. Dedicated to the memory of renowned philosopher and teacher Confucius (551-479 BCE), the temple was built in 1302 and expanded over the centuries. The current layout dates back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Confucius is an important sage in Chinese culture because his teachings established a philosophy emphasising morals, family values, and social harmony. These teachings became intertwined with Chinese identity, and his principles impacted art, literature and rituals while offering continuity through dynastic changes.

The temple features several grand halls, courtyards and landscaped gardens. Each building plays a role in honouring Confucius and his teachings. For instance, the Xianshi Gate, the entrance to the complex, symbolises the threshold between the outside world and the sacred space dedicated to Confucianism. Dacheng Hall, where ceremonies honouring Confucius are conducted, makes it one of the most important buildings in the complex. Chongshengci Hall is where scholars, officials, and students gathered to perform rituals emphasising the importance of Confucian values. The last one is the Kuixing Pavilion, dedicated to the deity Kuixing, often depicted holding a brush and book, who is considered the protector of scholars and writers.

Another significant feature inside the temple is a series of 198 stone tablets recording the names of more than 50,000 advanced scholars from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. To have one's name inscribed on the tablet, the scholar would have sat an imperial exam supervised by the emperor himself. Passing the exam would be the culmination of a scholar's dream to become the top talent in China. It's akin to obtaining a doctorate (Ph.D.) in today's terms. Those who succeeded would remain in the capital as officials.

While modern societies have changed and adapted to new challenges, Confucius' wisdom is still cherished and embraced around the world. Temples dedicated to him remain an important place where people can honour him and reflect on his teachings.



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