At the gateway of Tainan's Confucian temple is an old stone tablet with a bilingual announcement in Chinese and Manchu that "All civil and military officials, soldiers, and citizens will dismount before entering."
It was a demonstration of respect to enter the temple on foot, and the importance of doing so was underlined by the government edict. For generations, scholars in the temple read and discussed the Confucian texts, just as their peers in mainland China had done for two thousand years. High-ranking local officials also met at the temple to discuss candidates for upcoming civil service exams. While the proclamation in stone addressed itself to all ranks of people, few commoners in those earlier days ever stepped through the temple's hallowed gates.
The scene at the Confucian temple is quite different today compared to earlier times. Most mornings the outer courtyard is host to scores of local residents, mostly elderly, who gather under huge century-old banyan trees to practice martial arts, converse with old acquaintances, or just stroll in the shade. Scroll-carrying scholars have been replaced by camera-toting visitors, who come to see the stately architecture of one of Taiwan's most valued cultural assets.
It is actually a misnomer to call the architectural complex a "temple," because it is not a place of worship. Although China's reverence for Confucius bordered on the pious devotion accorded to a god or saint, Confucius himself was concerned with secular humanitarian issues rather than religious ones. When his students asked him about life after death, he told them that the more important issue was "life before death." Confucius also told his students not to worship him after his death, and he gave explicit instructions that no statues or likenesses should be made of him. Thus, in the main hall of the temple, the memory of Confucius is honored only by a so-called "spirit tablet" (ling wei), with the sage's name and titles writ ten on its face. Even the ceremonies held to honor Confucius are more accurately called ceremonies of remembrance, not of worship.
Construction on the Confucian temple began in 1665, just three years after the famous Chinese general Koxinga finally forced the last of the occupying Dutch forces to leave their fortified base at Anping (a small town later absorbed by Tainan). In 1624, the Dutch had built Fort Zeelandia in Anping, and over the next two decades succeeded in driving out the Spaniards based at the northern port of Keelung (near present-day Taipei) and the Japanese pirate enclaves scattered along the island's western coast.
At the time Koxinga gained control of Taiwan, the majority of the population was engaged in agriculture or fishing. Many of these people had come from mainland China and had ended up working for the Dutch as forced labor. Koxinga wanted to develop the island militarily and culturally, and was determined to introduce Chinese law, government, and customs, thereby erasing all signs of Dutch administration.
When Koxinga died in 1663, his son, Cheng Ching, assumed his father's command. Soon thereafter, one of Cheng's generals, Chen Yung-hua, suggested that a Confucian temple be constructed in Taiwan as an important step towards introducing Chinese culture to the island. At that time, practically every major county in China had a Confucian temple that served as the local center of education and culture. According to a Ching dynasty text, the general told Cheng: "There has been progress in clearing the wilderness and developing the land, and the time is right to construct a Confucian temple for the establishment of a school."
In traditional China, only the sons of officials and well-off merchants were usually able to afford a basic education. The curriculum focused on the Confucian classics, which formed the basis for the civil examinations given at the local and provincial levels, and in Peking. Success in the examinations was the route to admission into the civil service and higher social status.
But Cheng's main concern was not so much to bring Chinese culture to Taiwan as to develop the island into a strong base for wresting control of China from Manchu rule. Like his father, who had been a high-ranking general loyal to the Ming dynasty before its fall in 1644, Cheng intended to restore native Chinese rule to China, and to do it by force of arms. Cheng's initial reply to his general's request for a temple in Taiwan was not enthusiastic: "Our conquest of that uncultivated area is most recent. The region is not only small, but also scarcely populated. Consider this a matter for future deliberation."
Although a military man by commission, General Chen was himself well-versed in the Confucian classics, and he persisted in his efforts to have a temple built. He again presented his request to Cheng, saying: "Formerly the king Tang ruled over an area of just one hundred li [a li is roughly one-third of a mile], yet how much larger is this region? Taiwan has thousands of li of fertile land, and a vast coastal region. If you choose wise officials to help you in its administration, within thirty years it will be comparable in development to the mainland. Nowadays, island life is sufficient enough, but if you let the people pass an idle existence without introducing education, how will they be any different from wild animals? It is necessary to choose a location for the construction of a Confucian temple, to attract and educate talented persons. Only when the country is served by wise officials is its foundation solid, insuring that its prosperity grows each day."
King Tang was a ruler in ancient times and managed to overthrow a neighboring state ruled by a tyrant, despite the small size of his realm. No doubt this allusion struck a resonant chord, because Cheng finally agreed to the construction of the temple.
At this time, Tainan was the trade and administrative center of Taiwan, making it the logical choice for the island's first Confucian temple. Ground-breaking began in the summer of 1665, and the temple was completed less than six months later. It was christened Hsien Shih Miao, the "Temple of the First Teacher." Records from the period indicate that the original temple was not an architectural masterpiece. It had only one main building, flanked by three smaller ones, and they all might have had thatched roofs.
Cheng Ching died in 1681, and two years later his son surrendered to the Manchu court. Taiwan was soon thereafter formally integrated into the mainland as a county administration. After their conquest of China, the Manchus had suppressed free literary expression for fear of rebellion. Nevertheless, they readily embraced Confucianism, because it espoused obedience to authority and enabled them to continue recruiting government officials through the civil service exam. The year Taiwan surrendered to Manchu rule, the Tainan Confucian temple was repaired, and a plaque written in the hand of the Ching emperor Kanghsi was hung in the main building of the temple. The plaque reads "wan shih shih piao", meaning "a paragon for all generations." A plaque with the same wording hangs in the temple's main building today, although it is not the original.
During the rule of the Ching dy&nasty, the temple gradually grew in size. Several structures were added from 1712 to 1715, including the Eastern and Western Corridors, the Shrine of Worshipping the Sage, the Gate of Great Achievement, the Gate of Propriety and the Path of Righteousness, and other small buildings for the use of students.
In 1748, during the rule of Emperor Chienlung, the temple's buildings underwent a major renovation. The job took two years and cost twelve thousand ounces of silver, a tremendous sum of money in those days. As was customary after completing an important architectural project, a carved stone stele listing the relevant details of the undertaking was erected. There are twenty-two of these historical and cultural records from dynastic times preserved in the temple. The largest stele, almost eleven feet high, describes the 1748 renovation. It is carved in granite and displayed prominently in the inner courtyard. While the temple was not rebuilt again during dynastic times, major repairs were carried out on numerous occasions, including 1797 and 1862 when the temple was seriously damaged by earthquakes.
Taiwan was annexed by Japan in 1895 and remained under Japanese rule until the end of World War II in 1945. The Japanese allowed the semiannual Confucian ceremonies to continue, but by the end of the Ching dynasty in 1911, the temple was badly in need of repair. One Japanese official suggested rebuilding the temple in Japanese style, but fortunately the idea was vetoed by a superior. Instead, extensive renovations were carried out between 1917 and 1918.
The Japanese eventually used the temple as a military base, and by the final stage of World War II, Japanese reinforcements from the Manchurian front were stationed there. The Japanese also dug a huge ditch underneath the banyan trees of the outer courtyard for use as an air raid shelter. As a result, the temple became a target for the Allied Forces, and it was bombed on March 15, 1945. Several of the temple's side buildings were completely destroyed, and the main building and the shrine to the father of Confucius were seriously damaged. Impressions from shrapnel and aircraft machine gun fire can still be found in the ancient granite floor tiles.
After Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, emergency repairs were made on the temple. There were additional repairs over the next three decades, but insufficient funds and poor repair techniques often did little more than prevent the temple from collapsing. Only with the restoration completed in 1989 did the temple regain its traditional appearance.
There are a total of twenty-four structures in the present temple complex. Some of the more important ones are described below.
The Gate of Great Achievement
The main entrance to the Confucian temple is at the southeastern corner and is called the Gate of Great Achievement (Ta Cheng Fang). The gate is at a 90 degree angle to the inner courtyard entrance, a common practice in traditional architecture. It is considered disrespectful to have the entrance to the temple complex directly in front of the building that houses the spirit tablet of the revered sage. Having visitors walk at right angles to reach the main hall is also in agreement with Chinese geomancy, because evil spirits can only move in straight lines.
Above the gate is a plaque that reads "Taiwan's First Institute of Learning." The gate faces Nan Men Road, which runs north and south along the eastern side of the temple.
Directly east, across the street from the gate, is a large stone archway with four huge columns flanked by massive carved lions. The archway at first appears to be unrelated to the temple, except for the inscribed couplets on the columns extolling the virtues of Confucius. Actually, before the modern road was built, the only approach to the temple was from the east, and people would pass under this archway before reaching the Gate of Great Achievement. The archway, built in 1777, is no longer integral to the approach of the temple, but is pre served for its historical value.
The Gate of Propriety and the Path of Righteousness
About fifteen paces inside the temple is an archway in the same style as the main gate, only shorter. It is called the Gate of Propriety (Li Men). Directly across from it on the western side of the outer courtyard is an identical gate, the Path of Righteousness, (Yi Lu). The two gates stand directly in the middle of the outer courtyard, and now seem to serve no apparent purpose. In fact, there used to be walls running north to south from these two archways connecting the main entrance to the inner courtyard.
The temple is oriented on a north-south line, with south as the primary direction. It is further organized on a principle called "left school, right temple," meaning that the eastern side of the complex was for studying the Confucian classics, and the western side was where homage was paid to Confucius. The wall running between the Gate of Propriety and the inner courtyard gate was the dividing point between these two sub-sections of the temple complex.
During dynastic times these two archways had doors that remained locked except when Confucian ceremonies were in progress. The names given to the archways reflect the importance Confucius placed on propriety (li) and the principle of righteousness (yi) as means of ethical refinement. The walls collapsed during the Japanese occupation, and they have not been restored.
Temple Pool
At the southernmost end of the outer courtyard is a pool in the shape of a half moon. The pool balances the overall architectural layout of the temple, and it is used in symbolic rituals. In traditional China, the Royal Academy in the capital city was the state's highest institute of learning. Because the academy buildings were surrounded by water on four sides, water came to symbolize success in academic pursuits and the exams. When scholars passed the exam, it was common to say they were "entering the pool" (ju chih). In addition, successful examinees would visit the temple to pay respect to Confucius and sprinkle some water from the pool on their hat. (The hat itself was significant, since its style indicated their scholarly attainment.)
The Door of Great Achievement
The entrance to the inner courtyard that houses the main hall is a masterpiece of Chinese construction. Called the Door of Great Achievement (Ta Cheng Men), it has unusually graceful architectural symmetry. The structure is 53 feet long, and 29 feet high, and has three sets of double doors. These are surrounded by intricate carvings and skillfully executed wall paintings of the auspicious mythical Chinese animal called the chilin, a composite horned beast with the head and tail of a lion, the torso of a dragon, and cloven hoofs.
The most detailed roof carvings in the temple hang from the eaves of this gateway, and are painted in shades of red, green, blue, and gold. Three sturdy granite columns, weighing several tons each, hold up the supporting beams for the roof. This gateway is the final thresh-old before reaching the inner courtyard's main building.
The Hall of the Great Sage
At the center of the inner courtyard is the temple's main structure, called the Hall of the Great Sage (Ta Cheng Tien). The building is elevated and has a granite flagstone platform at its front (the south side) for use during Confucian ceremonies. At the front of the platform is a large carving of a dragonlike figure fashioned out of a single piece of granite from Fukien Province. It is roughly 13 feet long and weighs over two tons. While the dragon symbolizes the emperor, this figure is supposed to be the son of a dragon, indicating that the rank of Confucius was just below that of the emperor.
The building is 45 feet high, 49 feet long, and 49 feet wide, and is painted in vermillion. The predominant colors for the outlines of door and window carvings are blue, green, and gold. A low wall runs along the sides and front corners of the building, with six granite lions guarding the front. There are six sets of double doors, and two single doors (previously kept locked except on the day of the Confucian ceremony). Inside the building is the altar that holds the spirit tablet of Confucius. It is flanked by more tablets that list the names of his most outstanding students.
Above the altar are numerous plaques extolling the virtues of Confucius. The most prominent one reads, "To teach without distinction of social class" (yu chiao wu lei). While education in China was usually a privilege of the wealthy, Confucius himself insisted on teaching all interested students, even if they were poor.
Hall of the Great Sage—Roof Decorations
Unlike the Door of Great Achievement, there are no intricate carved objects hanging from the roof beams of the main hall. But the rooftop is decorated with several symbolic objects and figures. At the center of the roof ridge is the chu kung, a slender, nine-tiered tower meant to keep the god of fire at bay. (Today, it has a lightning rod extending upwards from its apex.)
At both ends of the roof are two unshaped objects called tung tien tung, which appear to be made of bronze. In fact, they are made of clay from Kwangtung Province. The objects are replicas of bamboo scroll holders, symbolizing scholarship.
Sweeping down along the four corners of the roof are rows of small birds. These are ·called "wicked birds" (chih hsiao), and the source of their symbolism comes from the Book of Odes, a compilation of ancient Chinese verses edited by Confucius. Their congregation on the roof of the building is meant to show that the teachings of the sage can even reform habitually evil people.
East and West Corridors
Flanking the inner courtyard are two long buildings that house the spirit tablets of famous Confucian students and scholars of the past 2,500 years. In Confucian ideology, immortality was not a matter of life after death. Instead, it was achieved by doing or saying something virtuous that was worthy of being remembered by later generations.
The people whose names are engraved in gold letters on the bright red wooden spirit tablets in these buildings have all left a lasting mark on Chinese cultural heritage. Examples of the 159 people who are honored with tablets include Chu Ko-liang, a famous general during the Three Kingdoms Period; Han Yu, the righteous Tang dynasty government official and essayist; and Ssu-Ma Kuang, the great Sung dynasty historian.
Academy of Classical Learning
As in the past, Confucian ceremonies today use ancient ritual music and dances that are exclusive to the occasion of honoring the sage. Behind the Palace of Great Achievement is the Yi Cheng Shu Yuan, the Academy of Classical Learning. Currently, over one hundred musicians gather here regularly to rehearse the ancient ritual music for the Confucian ceremonies. Because Confucius was an advocate of preserving ancient rituals, including music, there is a small spirit tablet in the building to honor the sage.
Wen Chang Pavilion
Located in the "left school" part of the temple, the Wen Chang Pavilion has an unusual design and function. The 47 foot-high structure has a round foundation, a square first floor, a round second floor, and an octagonal third floor. According to Chinese geomancy and the "eight trigrams" in the ancient Book of Changes (I Ching), mischievous ghosts tend to dwell in the northeast corner of a temple. The Wen Chang Pavilion was built to crush these evil spirits, thereby preventing them from causing trouble.
While such superstitious beliefs may seem contrary to the ideas of Confucius, the pavilion was nevertheless an integral part of the temple by the beginning of the eighteenth century. There is also a statue of Kuei Hsing, a folk god of literature, on the third floor of the pavilion. The grimacing god holds a brush in his right hand and a gold ingot in his left hand. Kuei Hsing is believed to be a critic of essays, the most important component of the civil service exams. The gold ingot is meant to imply that if a candidate can write a good essay and pass the exam, his financial future is well assured.
Prior to taking the civil service exam, many scholars burnt incense and prayed in front of the pavilion. While Confucianism may have formed the basis of ethical thought and behavior in China for over two thousand years, folk religion clearly made its influence felt.