Adjacent to Jiahe Mountain, the Confucian Temple in Liuzhou guards a piece of historical and cultural heritage

The Confucian Temple in Liuzhou, located near the Liu River and Jiahe Mountain, was founded during the Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan era. It stands on the site of the ancient Han city and has experienced several cycles of decline and revival. The current architecture is primarily in the style of the Song Dynasty, combined with the local styles of Lingnan. Emperor Taizong of Tang elevated Confucius to the status of 'Preeminent Sage' and required all counties across the country to build temples and offer sacrifices to Confucius at four times during the year. Later, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang posthumously honored Confucius with the title 'King Wenxuan' and changed the Confucian temples to 'King Wenxuan Temples' (Wenmiao), where the whole country would worship Confucius. Confucian temples conducted 'family rituals,' while Wenmiao combined temple and school functions, worshiping Confucius and providing education. When Liu Zongyuan served as the governor of Liuzhou, he renovated the Wenmiao and taught students in his spare time. His actions inspired admiration and emulation by later generations, leading to a surge of talent from Liuzhou, including the 'Eight Sages of Liuzhou' from the Ming Dynasty, represented by the renowned official Yang Tingli. The Confucian Temple in Liuzhou is also open at night, offering a place for leisurely strolls along the corridors, with the cool breeze embracing visitors, becoming an important symbol of guarding the local historical and cultural heritage. The Apricot Platform is located outside the temple walls, with an open design symbolizing 'education without discrimination,' and houses a bronze statue of Confucius. The landmark of the temple, the Wenchang Tower, is 29 meters tall, with a square seven-story structure, and its spire is made of pure gold. The river serves as ink, with the platform and Jiahe Mountain as the writing desk, and the heavens and earth as the scroll. The Dacheng Hall is 31.8 meters tall, with a double-eaved Xieshan-style roof, copper tiles, and flying eaves. In the middle of the steps, there are three of the nation's tallest dragon relief carvings, made from Sichuan's premium Han white jade. Around the hall hang plaques with inscriptions such as 'Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations,' 'Great Achievements of the Saints,' 'Virtue as Broad as Heaven and Earth,' 'Transforming Influence Long-lasting,' and 'Culture is Present Here.' The hall's caisson ceiling and doors and windows are decorated with precious nanmu wood. The Minglun Hall has a unique design, with a round bottom and a double-eaved pointed roof covered with grey glazed tiles. The Chongsheng Hall has a three-layered, double-eaved pointed roof with blue-grey glazed tiles, backed by Dongtai Mountain. It is surrounded by corridors with bronze brackets and column heads carved with taotie and dragon patterns, and the sealing plates feature relief carvings of two dragons playing with a pearl. Since the Han Dynasty, there has been a tradition of building shrines and offering sacrifices to famous officials and virtuous locals. Later, group sacrifices in the form of shrines to the sages appeared. Eventually, Emperor Shizong of Ming allowed civilians to 'establish temples by clan,' leading to separate sacrifices for famous officials and local sages. Starting from the 13th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1534), local sage shrines and famous official shrines were closely integrated with temple schools. The worship of local sages and famous officials carried the social significance of promoting virtue and rewarding merit, as well as educating the public, which was in line with the function of the Confucian Temple to promote virtue and repay one's roots. Liuzhou is a famous prefecture in Lingnan, known as 'the prestigious prefecture of the west of Guangdong for its cultural relics.' The earliest famous official to be worshiped with a temple was Liu Zongyuan, the 'Old Mayor,' and Liu Fen, Liu Xianliang. The people's worship has continued uninterrupted to this day. Among the Song Dynasty's successful candidates in the imperial examinations listed as 'local sages,' there were Tan Guangdian, Tan Qingyuan, Tan Chang and his grandson, Wang Zhicai, Wang E, the brothers Xie Hong and Xie Ze, Zhang Yaqing, Quan Feng, and nine others. Qiu Yun built a mountain path for Xianyi Mountain for Master Jiaoxin and wrote 'Record of the Newly Opened Mountain Path of Xianyi Mountain.' Chang Tong published the 'Collection of Master Hedong of Liuzhou.' Huang Chouru compiled the first historical record of Liuzhou, 'Longcheng Tuzhi.' Dai Qin, along with She Mianxue, She Li, Xu Yangzheng, Zhang Chong, Sun Keshu, Long Wenguang, and Zhou Qi, were later known as the 'Eight Sages of Liuzhou' and were placed in the leading position. During the Ming Dynasty, there emerged famous officials such as Ji Zongdao, Dai Qin, Xu Yangzheng, Zhang Chong, She Mianxue, She Li, Sun Keshu, Long Wenguang, Chu Liangcai, Xu Jun, Xu Kejiu, Luo Gongchen, Wang Qiyuan, Xu Baotai, Xu Dongshan, Liu Shunzhi, Li Fang, Xia Ruli, Tang Rong, Zhou Qi, Chen Jun, He Chuying, Sang Yue, Dong Chenglong, Tan Yuanfang, and others. In the Qing Dynasty, Liuzhou saw the emergence of local sages such as Yang Tingli, known as the 'Renowned Official Who Opened Yilan' (served three terms as the prefect of Taiwan, developed Yilan), Wang Zhen, one of the 'Five Great Families of the West of Guangdong,' Chen Jingdeng, Yang Maosheng, Yuan Chengyou, Sun Shouqi, Fu Honglie, Jiang Gao, Ouyang Yong'e, Yang Daolin, and others.