Taipei Confucius Temple

Confucius, the greatest sage and teacher in the Chinese history, is no stranger to most people, but very few of us truly understand his teachings and legacy. Modeled after the original Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong Province of China (山東省曲阜市), where Confucius was born and bred, Taipei Confucius Temple allows visitors to gain an intimate education from the world's most prestigious teacher.

Even though 2,500 years have passed since Confucius walked this earth, his influence on the Chinese society, education and governance is ever present. The man known as the “teacher of teachers” spent years traveling the countryside promoting a freer and more equal system of education. The period during which he lived was a tumultuous one, known as the Warring States Period, alternatively the Spring and Autumn Period. China was not a unified country, rather it was a land of factions vying for control, and little hegemony existed to solidify a system of values and ethical behavior. Confucius sought to unify the knowledge and experiences of China's already long past into a coherent philosophy. Obviously, his contributions were innumerable, as successive generations of Chinese society through the present have adopted his teachings. Practically every Chinese or Taiwanese child can reiterate many of the core principles of Confucianism or recite some of his famous quotes.

The first Confucian temple in Taiwan was conceived in 1879 by the Taipei City government, but due to Taiwan's colonization by Japan, plans were not realized until 1925. After soliciting donations from the richest sectors in society, and resisting the ban on Confucian ceremonies from the Japanese colonizers, the temple was finally opened in 1939. Today, Taipei Confucius Temple represents the hallmark of the master educator's enduring philosophies. The custodians of the temple have undertaken a great many modern renovations, adding interactive displays in English for foreign visitors to make the most of their time here. Even a 4D theater has been added which offers an additional layer of sensory enjoyment to the 3D experience, where films about the voyages of Confucius and the history of this temple's construction are shown. A visit to the Taipei Confucius Temple will surely leave you enlightened!

In Taiwan, Confucius’ birthday and Teachers’ Day both fall on 28th September. All Confucius temples around the island, including the one in Taipei, will hold the traditional memorial ceremony to pay tribute to Confucius, where hundreds of pupils wear traditional Han-style costumes and take part in activities such as the eight-row dance (八佾舞) to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. If you happen to be visiting Taiwan during the month of September, don’t miss out on this grand cultural event.