What is the relationship between Confucius Temple, Confucius House and Confucius Forest?

Located in the south gate of Qufu, the Confucius Temple was built in memory of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism in China. Confucius House, also known as the Duke's House of Feast, is the residence of Confucius' eldest grandson. Kong Lin, also known as the sacred forest, is the graveyard of Confucius' descendants after his death (479 BC).

The plane of Confucius Temple is rectangular, with a length of about 1300m from north to south and a total area of 133m. There are nine courtyards running through a north-south central axis and symmetrically arranged. The layout of the Confucius Temple Group belongs to the "square root" system, which is composed of a big square and front, back, left and right courtyards, and organically combined into the whole building space. Imitating the palace system, it is divided into three layouts: middle, east and west.

The main building of Confucius Temple is Dacheng Hall, which is the place where emperors sacrificed Confucius, and is located in the center of Confucius Temple. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called Wang Wenxuan Hall, and Evonne, Song Huizong, renamed it Dacheng Hall to commemorate Confucius. During Yongzheng period, it was destroyed by thunder and fire, and Yong Zhengdi chartered to imitate the Forbidden City Hall of Supreme Harmony and rebuild it. The height of Dacheng Hall is 31.8m, and the base area is1.836m2.. There are 28 stone pillars with eaves, 6 meters high and 0.8 meters in diameter, with 10 in front. Each one is deeply embossed with two dragons hovering in the air, chasing the flame orb, which is exquisite. Giant plaques 10 are hung in the hall, such as "Shiwan Table" written in Qianlong calligraphy.

Confucius House is located in the east of Confucius Temple in the center of Qufu, with an area of about 1.6 square kilometers. There are 463 buildings and halls, nine courtyards and three roads. Compared with the Confucius Temple, the style of Confucius House is simpler, with blue tiles on the roof and black paint on the beams and columns, and the paintings are not the highest. East Road is the East Study Room, where the Duke of Feast studies, and West Road is the West Study Room, where the Duke of Feast receives visitors.

The main body of Confucius is in the middle road, which is divided into two major areas: the former residence and the later residence. The gate of Confucius House faces south, with 3 rooms wide and 2 rooms deep. There is a lion and a lioness on the left and right in front of the gate. On the blue background above the gate, there is the golden character "Fu Sheng" inscribed by Yan Song, the prime minister of Ming Dynasty. There are gold couplets hanging on both sides, "The same country is salty, and Anfu honors the government; "Being old in the same day, writing about moral saints" was written by Ji Yun, a talented person in the Qing Dynasty.

Kong Lin is located outside the north gate of Qufu City. There is a famous forest road (also called Shinto Road) between the city gate and Kong Lin, with a total length of1.266m, surrounded by pine and cypress. In the middle span of "Eternal Changchun" Square, there is a pavilion in the east, a pavilion in the west, a great sage Confucius Tombstone in the east, and a monument in Queli Fulin Temple in the west, all of which were built in the 22nd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1594). At the end of the forest road is the gate of Kong Lin, with the words "to the sacred forest" in the middle. The tomb of Confucius is located in the center of Confucius Forest. The soil on the tomb is about 4m high, with a total height of 6.2m and a circumference of 88m.

Confucius Temple, Confucius House and Confucius Forest are symbols of China's worship of Confucianism in ancient times. The preserved ancient buildings and a large number of precious cultural relics combine the beauty of humanity, architecture and nature.