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Confucius Temple; Capital of Culture & Commerce, Past & Present?

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One of the most visited attractions in Nanjing, Confucius Temple, stands at the heart of the city’s historic district. While most first-time visitors are bewildered by the numerous stores that offer a large variety of snacks and local specialties, Confucius Temple is a major part of the city’s rich historic and cultural heritage.

Next to the winding Qinhuai River, this area presents an incredible mixture of culture and commerce, past and present. People are generally most pleased with the local delicacies and unique cultural relics when visiting Confucius Temple.

The original purpose of the Confucius Temple is, of course, to commemorate Confucius. Highly esteemed in traditional Chinese culture, Confucius is often referred to as the greatest educator, and the direct source of all knowledge and truth.

The temple itself is also a historic landmark. Widely seen across the country, such temples often stand in the most prosperous cities, where literature and Chinese classics are revered and studied extensively. The Confucius Temple in Nanjing has a history of over 600 years, with its pinnacle in the Ming dynasty, when Nanjing was the political and cultural capital of China.

Aspiring scholars came to offer tribute in order to seek blessings for their academic or political career. Fully restored and renovated, the temple is a very popular attraction today, catering to tourists from all over the world interested in seeing China’s cultural heritage. With historic paintings and carvings that record Confucius’ wisdom and teachings, the temple offers an insight into the origin of Chinese culture and national spirits.

Treasures Turned to Dust; Empires and Palaces Razed

The district surrounding the Confucius Temple is Nanjing’s historic city centre. Once the capital of several regional or national dynasties, it has seen the rise and fall of nobles and emperors.

A brilliant example is Wuyi Alley, a seemingly ordinary backstreet just across the river. Now an alley with mossy walls, curious tourists have no idea it was once home to the most prominent families during the East Jin Dynasty. The family produced famous writers, artists, generals and also held the highest ranks in imperial bureaucracy. Yet, after the fall of the dynasty, the lavish mansion turned into a civilian residence. The street itself even became the subject of much reminiscence, most notably featured in a well-known Tang dynasty poem.

Walking through this historic part of Nanjing reminds one of the power of time; it destroys empires, razes palaces and turns treasures into dusts. And yet, life goes on in this ancient city, as always.

A few steps up the river is another unique cultural relic, the imperial examination site. China invented the world’s first national examination system to select its bureaucrats and regional officials, and thousands of aspiring young men with political ambitions once gathered here to compete for that opportunity, in a much harsher testing environment that that we enjoy today. Now transformed into a museum, you can step into the ancient exam site to experience what it is like to take part in an exam five centuries ago, definitely different from the ones at our modern-day schools.

Of course, the local snack shops and gift stores are another great attraction of Confucius Temple. Although it is quite sad that most of the stores are highly commercialised and offer little authentic local specialties, one can always take a more daring route.

Why not wander further into the old town of Nanjing, and discover what it has to offer?

It is going to be a more exhilarating experience, as one will have a much closer look at the people living in this city and their lifestyles. Tasting authentic food and immersing in the unique urban atmosphere here, one will understand what it truly means to be a Nanjinger, right here in the heart of the Southern Capital.

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