Urumqi Confucian Temple

The Urumqi Confucian Temple is a group of brick and wood structures in the style of the Qing Dynasty. It has front and back halls and two groups of side halls on the east and west sides, and two symmetrical bell and drum towers. The main hall in the front has flying eaves and brackets, blue bricks and tiles, carved beams and painted buildings, and the overall building is majestic and solemn, antique, elegant and quiet.

When the Qing government expanded the city of Urumqi from 765 to 1767, it built the Confucian Temple on the later Wenhua Road (formerly known as Wenmiao Lane). No remains of this Confucian Temple were found later. After Xinjiang was established as a province in 1884, the Zhaozhong Temple was built on Qianjin Road to commemorate the fallen soldiers who recovered Xinjiang. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed the Loyal Martyrs' Temple. Later, the wooden tablet of Confucius in the original Confucian Temple was moved here, and the Loyal Martyrs' Temple became the Confucian Temple. At this time, the Confucian Temple not only worshipped Confucius, but also worshipped the Taoist god "Wenchang Emperor" who was in charge of fame and fortune in the world.

The entire Confucian Temple covers an area of ​​2,800 square meters. It is built in the style of traditional Chinese ancient architecture, with a width of three rooms and a depth of two rooms. It has a mountain gate, front hall, main hall, two ancestral east and west wing rooms, as well as a bell tower and a drum tower.

The Confucian Temple has a restored display of the Confucius Dacheng Hall, which combines the three characteristics of Confucian temples across the country, integrating Confucius, the four statues, and the twelve philosophers into one room. The large statues and high relief standing statues are lifelike and awe-inspiring. Plaques such as "Teacher of All Ages" and "Unprecedented in the History of the People" are hung above the Confucius niche. Various sacrificial utensils are placed in front of the seated statue of Confucius for visitors to worship.