Confucian Temple

Confucian Temple in the Ancient City of Pingyao [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Confucian Temple is in the southeastern corner of the Ancient City of Pingyao and is one of China's most time-honored temples of its kind. Work on it began in the early years of the reign of Taizong emperor (AD 627-649) of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). The main building, the Dacheng (Great Achievement) Hall, was built in 1163 during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), and it still has its original look.

The temple has been popular with tourists since it opened to the public in 2004 and is a large structure typical of temples of its kind, with a central axis and Kuixing (literature god) tower, for instance. Kuixing tower is a small, but exquisite structure at the southeast corner of the wall.

Ancient library in the Confucian Temple [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Confucian Temple still houses a zhuangyuan's answer sheet in the top imperial examination for selecting talented government personnel, which had a 1300-year history, and it is the only surviving example today, with an inscription that reads, "highest of the first lot", left by the Wanli emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The temple is the soul of Pingyao and the best preserved temple compound, with the largest group of Confucian statues and the largest exhibit of China's imperial exam system.

Address: No 67 Chenghuangmiao Street, Pingyao county, Jinzhong city, Shanxi province

Admission ticket price: through ticket of the Ancient City of Pingyao – 150 yuan ($21.04)

Opening hours: 8:00-18:30

Tel: 0354-5680948