Taichung Confucius Temple Introduction
The current Confucius Temple primarily promotes Confucianism, but it also accommodates other philosophies and venerates earlier scholars. At the Taichung Confucius Temple, visitors can learn about the origins of the temple, its architectural complex, the Grand Ceremony of Sacrificing to Confucius, the Great Achievement Music, artifacts of the temple, the history of revered sages, the Great Unity Chapter of the Book of Rites, and the performing arts of the Eight-Dance. The temple is also an excellent venue for large cultural and artistic events, film shoots, or workshops. The architectural style has documented references, and after careful consideration and consultation with scholars and experts, it was decided to adopt the Song Dynasty palace style for its depth, grandeur, simplicity, and magnificence, distinguishing it from the adjacent Martyrs' Shrine (which features Qing Dynasty palace-style architecture and paintings). The site of the Confucius Temple covers a total area of 23,653.20 square meters, with the building area totaling 2,363.88 square meters. As a classical architecture, it represents one of the few Song-style structures in Taiwan, characterized by its complex and varied structure, intricate decorations, and detailed construction processes, involving everything from concrete pouring to steel reinforcement arrangement, where each detail is precisely calibrated, and exterior finishes are meticulously crafted. The colorful paintings in the various halls of the Confucius Temple all adopt the Song style, primarily featuring rolling grass and floral patterns, employing varying shades of color to depict shapes. This construction is notably delicate and complex, making it one of the rare architectural examples in Taiwan worthy of study and appreciation. The entire architectural complex of the Confucius Temple includes the following elements: the Paifang (two archways, "Dao Guàn Gǔ Jīn" and "Dé Pái Tiān Dì"), the Screen Wall, the Lingxing Gate, the front courtyard of the Panchi Pond, the Guandé Gate, the Yūcuì Gate, the Liao Pavilion, the Buried Place, the Dacheng Gate, the Dacheng Hall, the East Wing, the West Wing, and the Chongsheng Shrine, making it one of the most complete Confucius Temples in Taiwan. In addition to referencing the layout of Qufu, it also incorporates architectural vocabulary and elements from Qufu, such as the Guandé Gate and Yūcuì Gate, distinguishing itself from the Min Nan-style architectural elements like the Ritual Gate and Righteous Road. Although it is a newly built structure of reinforced concrete, the Confucius Temple embodies a retro spirit and overall image, rightly considered a pioneer of new buildings styled after classical Chinese architecture.
