A temple to harmony and peace

The Temple of Confucius is a tribute to the ancient Chinese philosopher as much as it is to social hierarchy and harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, writes LI YANG in Qufu

Seen from a distance, the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province, encircled by a magnificent red wall capped by glazed tiles and with delicate turrets at the four corners, looks somewhat like the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing, which was the seat of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties' emperors.

The Temple of Confucius showcases the importance and uniqueness of architecture in times when the style of imperial palaces was not to be replicated by any other building. Which means the Temple of Confucius was the only complex allowed to employ the royal construction style.