Yunnan has the largest Confucius Temple in southwest China, built in the Yuan Dynasty, what is this place?

In many people's impression, the remote southwest of the ancient times should be the people of the tough, pay attention to agricultural production and the place of culture and education, however, today in Yunnan Province, Jianshui County, but there is a temple built in the Yuan Dynasty, is the largest Confucian temple building in the southwest border, the scale of the second only to the Confucian temple in Qufu and the Temple of Culture in Beijing.

There are many ancient cities in Yunnan, including Dali, Lijiang, and Heshun, but Jianshui is not as famous, but it is an authentic "living ancient city". Inside the ancient city today there are still locals living, do not feel the commercial atmosphere. Into the Jianshui, into the Jianshui Temple, you will find a very different and imaginary Yunnan.

Jianshui Temple of Literature built according to the specifications of the Confucian Temple in Qufu, but also with all the traditional buildings like the symmetrical north-south axis, covering an area of 114 acres, can be said to be quite large. It is quite a surprise that such a grand Temple of Literature is hidden in a small ancient city.

The two most dazzling pagodas in the temple, the "Origin of Suzhou and Si" pagoda and the "Harmony and Origin" pagoda, are both of wood and stone, with the former having particularly exquisite wood and stone carvings, which are highly imaginative and vivid. The former is especially exquisite in its wood carving and stone carving, which is highly imaginative, with lifelike dragons, lings, elephants and other auspicious animals either perched or sitting on the ground or riding on the clouds, creating a mesmerizing world on the pagodas.

The apricot altar is the place where Confucius lectured, and Confucius, who advocated "equality for all" in education, opened the first "private school" for all people in the history of China, and lowered education from the princes and lords and dignitaries to the common people, and the apricot altar was built to commemorate him for this merit. The apricot altar was built to commemorate this merit. Yellow glazed tiles, golden dragons painted body, apricot altar surrounded by lush foliage, in such a quiet environment, imagine a thousand years ago, the sound of people's books is really moving picture.

The people are so, the city is no exception. The ancient city of Jianshui, where the Temple of Literature was built, was historically the most scholarly place in the whole of Yunnan, and was once full of literati.

The Dacheng Hall is the main building and center of the Temple of Literature, and it is the main hall where Confucius is worshipped. The plaques of Kangxi's "Teacher of the World" and Yongzheng's "The Sangmin has never been" are clear evidence of the emperor's esteem for Confucius.

The entire Temple of Literature wood carvings and stone carvings are worth a close look, Dacheng Hall is the essence of it. The 12 stone pillars supporting the front eaves of the hall are carved from a block of lapis lazuli, and the two left and right doors are carved with three-dimensional dragons, the dragon's body coiled on the columns and seems to be a mistake of the eye will take off in the clouds and fog, which is quite evocative. Temple front of the 22 lattice door is also carved on the many birds and animals, more gold dragons and phoenixes, not only exquisite carving, but also see the high specifications of the Temple of Literature.

Walking along the corridor, there are carved beams and painted buildings, and there are birds and insects in the landscape, showing the charm of ancient Chinese culture.

From the Temple of Literature built in a remote area of the southwest is enough to see the influence of Confucius on China, Chinese history and culture. The footsteps of his thoughts so far away, whether in the northeast or southwest, thousands of years of Chinese cultural history, there has always been its light in the shine. Thousands of years later, the Temple of Literature is still there, and Confucius' dream about education has come into reality.