Home » Sunday » Now and Then
Commemorating Confucius' legacy
By UNESCO website |
June 2, 2013, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE temple, cemetery and family mansion of Confucius, the great philosopher, politician and educator of the 6th–5th centuries BC, are located at Qufu, in Shandong Province. Built to commemorate Confucius in 478 BC, the temple has been destroyed and reconstructed numerous times; today it comprises more than 100 buildings.
The cemetery contains Confucius' tomb and the remains of more than 100,000 of his descendants. The small house of the Kong family developed into a gigantic aristocratic residence, of which 152 buildings remain.
The Qufu complex of monuments has retained its outstanding artistic and historic character owing to the devotion of successive Chinese emperors over more than 2,000 years. The system of belief that Confucius (551-479 BC) created was adopted as the pre-eminent ideology in feudal Chinese society for more than 2,000 years.
Shortly after the death of Confucius, Duke Ai of Lu consecrated his former house in Qufu as a temple, within which were preserved his clothing, musical instruments, carriage and books.
The gateway is flanked by cypresses and pines, while the main part has nine courtyards. From the fourth courtyard onwards, the buildings are stately structures with yellow-tiled roofs and red walls, set off by pines, epitomizing Confucian harmony.
The temple and cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu was inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage in 1994.
The cemetery contains Confucius' tomb and the remains of more than 100,000 of his descendants. The small house of the Kong family developed into a gigantic aristocratic residence, of which 152 buildings remain.
The Qufu complex of monuments has retained its outstanding artistic and historic character owing to the devotion of successive Chinese emperors over more than 2,000 years. The system of belief that Confucius (551-479 BC) created was adopted as the pre-eminent ideology in feudal Chinese society for more than 2,000 years.
Shortly after the death of Confucius, Duke Ai of Lu consecrated his former house in Qufu as a temple, within which were preserved his clothing, musical instruments, carriage and books.
The gateway is flanked by cypresses and pines, while the main part has nine courtyards. From the fourth courtyard onwards, the buildings are stately structures with yellow-tiled roofs and red walls, set off by pines, epitomizing Confucian harmony.
The temple and cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu was inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage in 1994.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
