Taichung Confucius Temple Introduction
The Confucius Temple today mainly promotes Confucianism, but it also accommodates other ideologies, serving as a shrine for ancient sages. At the Taichung Confucius Temple, visitors can learn about the origins of the temple, its architectural complex, the ceremonies for honoring Confucius, the "Dacheng Music," temple artifacts, the history of revered figures, the Great Unity chapter from the Book of Rites, and the performance of the Eight-Dance Ritual. The temple is also an ideal venue for large cultural events, filming, or workshops. The architectural style is based on historical references, but with careful consideration and consultation with scholars and experts. To distinguish it from the nearby Zhonglie Shrine (which features Qing Dynasty palace-style architecture and decorations), it was decided to adopt the Song Dynasty palace architectural style, characterized by its profound, dignified, plain yet magnificent appearance. The layout is based on a scaled-down version of the layout of the Qufu Confucius Temple. The total area of the temple grounds is 23,653.20 square meters, and the total building area is 2,363.88 square meters. As a work of classical architecture, it is one of the few examples of Song-style architecture in Taiwan, featuring a complex and varied structure with intricate decorations. Construction, such as the pouring of concrete, involved assembling templates and arranging reinforcement bars, with precise adjustments in every detail, and careful finishing work required for the exterior. The decorative paintings in all the temple halls also adopt the Song style, primarily featuring scroll floral patterns, illustrating shapes through variations in color. The intricate and detailed construction makes it a rare architectural model in Taiwan, worthy of study and appreciation by the public. The overall architectural complex of the temple includes the following elements: the Paifang (two arches symbolizing the connection between past and present, and virtue matching the heavens), a screen wall, the Lingxing Gate, the front courtyard of the Pan Pool, the Guande Gate, the Yucui Gate, the Liao Pavilion, the burial site, 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 being based on the layout of Qufu, architectural vocabulary and elements from Qufu were also incorporated, such as the Guande Gate and the Yucui Gate, distinguishing them from the ceremonial gates and path found in Minnan-style architecture. Although it is a newly built structure of reinforced concrete, the retro spirit and overall image of the Confucius Temple express the essence of new classical Chinese architecture.
