Taiwan Confucian Temple
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The Taiwan Confucian Temple (Chinese: 台灣孔廟; also called Tainan Confucian Temple, 台南孔廟 or 台南孔子廟; or Quan Tai Shou Xue, 全台首學) is a Confucian temple on Nanmen Road in Tainan City, Taiwan. Coordinates: 22°59′25″N 120°12′15″E / 22.99028°N 120.20417°E
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[edit] History
Construction on the Confucian temple in Tainan began in 1665, in the 19th year of the reign of the Yongli Emperor, during the Southern Ming Dynasty of China, by Zheng Jing, the son of Koxinga, following a suggestion by Chief Military Aide Chen Yonghua, and completed in 1666. The temple had a Guoxue (National School) on its grounds, which is reputed to have been Taiwan's first official Chinese school. It also had a Minglung Hall adjacent to the temple.
In 1685, during the 24th year of the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the Qing Dynasty official and Taiwan prefect Jiang Yuying (蔣毓英) repaired and renamed the temple Xian Shi Sheng Miao (先師聖廟, translating as "Supreme Teacher Holy Temple" or "Holy Temple of the Great Teacher"; also spelled 先師廟), although it was popularly known as Wen Miao (文廟, literally "Temple of Learning"). The Taiwan Prefecture College was also established there.
The temple has been renovated several times over the past 300 years, most recently between 1987 and 1989.[1] Some of its elements include the Stone Arch of Higher Learning and the East Ta Cheng Arch.
Today the temple serves as a popular tourist attraction and also preserves ancient Confucian ceremonies, which are conducted on a regular basis. The temple also includes storerooms for the ritual implements and musical instruments that are used in these ceremonies.
[edit] Geographical clarification
The Taiwan Confucius Temple in Tainan should not be confused with the much newer Taipei Confucius Temple (台北孔廟) located on Dalong Street in Taipei. 25°4′21″N 121°30′59″E / 25.0725°N 121.51639°E The temple in Taipei was built between 1879 and 1884.[2]
[edit] 2008 unrest
On October 22, 2008, Zhang Mingqing, the vice chairman of the Chinese Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), was attacked by Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) supporters during his visit to the Tainan Confucius Temple. The DPP city-councillor of Tainan City, Wang Ding-yu, who was believed to have summoned and led the protesters, deliberately knocked Zhang down and dragged him for several metres; however, he later denied any involvement in the incident. Three of Zhang's plainclothes police guards from Tainan Police Station had their arms folded and quietly watched the matter unfold. When Zhang entered his car and attempted to leave, one protester climbed atop the car and stomped on its roof while his colleagues cheered. Wang Ding-yu was later sentenced to 18 months in jail, with various lengths for other protesters.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Visiting PRC official mobbed in Tainan (English)
- Taiwan Confucian Temple official site - part of this relates to the temple in Taipei! (English)
- Taiwan Confucian Temple official site (Chinese)
- Taiwan Confucian Temple page, with many photos
- Taiwan Confucian Temple page
- History of the Taiwan Confucian Temple
- Article about Taiwan Confucian Temple
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