山东名胜英文简介

Confucius Temple

Qufu, the Oriental Holy City, is a famous city best known as the hometown of Confucius (551-479BC), a famous philosopher, educator, and the creator of Confucianism in ancient China. The city is also the birthplace of another great thinker and educator Mencius (372-289BC). Therefore, Qufu is listed as one of China's first group of historical cultural cities.

Situated in the southwest of Shandong Province and near Taishan Mountain in the north, Qufu has fertile land and rich products. The city was the settlement center for ancient Eastern Yi tribe, and a major site of Dawenkou and Longshan cultures. Confucius was born in Nishan, which is 30 kilometers southeast of Qufu City, and spent many years in Qufu giving lectures on his ideology, accompanied by his disciples and followers. A year after Confucius' death, many believers flocked to Qufu to listen to Confucius' disciples explain the doctrine, and the Duke Ai of Lu ordered the philosopher's home to be turned into a temple.

Qufu is world renowned for its long history, advanced culture, rich cultural relics and grand ancient architecture. There are more than 300 cultural protection units, and 112 key cultural relics preservation units. Among them, the Confucius Temple, Confucian Grove and Confucian Mansion are the most famous, listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1994.

Geography

The small historical center of Qufu is surrounded by the restored Ming-era city wall and rivers/moats. The Drum Tower (Gulou) is in the center of this walled city; the Temple of Confucius (Kong Miao), Confucius Mansion (Kong Fu) and the Yan Temple (Yan Miao) occupy large sections of the land within the wall.

Temple of Confucius (Kong Miao)

Within two years after the death of Confucius, his former house in Qufu was already consecrated as a temple by the Prince of Lu. In 205 BC, Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty was the first emperor to offer sacrifices to the memory of Confucius in Qufu. He set an example for many emperors and high officials to follow. Later, emperors would visit Qufu after their enthronement or on important occasions such as a successful war. In total, 12 different emperors paid 20 personal visits to Qufu to worship Confucius. About 100 others sent their deputies for 196 official visits. The original three-room house of Confucius was removed from the temple complex during a rebuilding undertaken in 611 AD. In 1012 and in 1094, during the Song Dynasty, the temple was extended into a design with three sections and four courtyards, around which eventually more than 400 rooms were arranged. Fire and vandalism destroyed the temple in 1214, during the Jin Dynasty. It was restored to its former extent by the year 1302 during the Yuan Dynasty. Shortly thereafter, in 1331, the temple was framed in an enclosure wall modelled on the Imperial palace. After another devastation by fire in 1499, the temple was finally restored to its present scale. In 1724, yet another fire destroyed the main hall and the sculptures it contained. The subsequent restoration was completed in 1730. The replacement sculptures were destroyed during the cultural revolution in 1966. In total, the Temple of Confucius has undergone 15 major renovations, 31 large repairs, and numerous small building measures.

The temple complex is the second largest historical building complex in China (after the Forbidden City), it covers an area of 16,000 square metres and has a total of 460 rooms. Because the last major redesign following the fire in 1499 took place shortly after the building of the Forbidden City in the Ming Dynasty, the architecture of the Temple of Confucius resembles that of the Forbidden City in many ways. The main part of the temple consists of 9 courtyards arranged on a central axis, which is oriented in the north-south direction and is 1.3 km in length. The first three courtyards have small gates and are planted with tall pine trees, they serve an introductory function. The first (southernmost) gate is named "Lingxing Gate" after a star in the Great Bear constellation, the name suggests that Confucius is a star from heaven. The buildings in the remaining courtyards form the heart of the complex. They are impressive structures with yellow roof-tiles (otherwise reserved for the emperor) and red-painted walls, they are surrounded by dark-green pine trees to create a color contrast with complementary colors. The main buildings are the Stela Pavilions (e.g., Jin and Yuan Dynasties, 1115–1368), the Kuiwen Hall (built in 1018, restored in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty and in 1985), the Xing Tan Pavilion (simplified Chinese: 杏坛; traditional Chinese: 杏壇; pinyin: Xìng Tán, Apricot Platform), the De Mu Tian Di Arch, the Dacheng Hall (built in the Qing Dynasty), and the Hall of Confucius' Wife. The Dacheng Hall (Chinese: 大成殿; pinyin: Dàchéng diàn, Great Perfection Hall) is the architectural center of the present day complex. The hall covers an area of 54 by 34 m and stands slightly less than 32 m tall.

It is supported by 28 richly decorated pillars, each 6 m high and 0.8 m in diameter and carved in one piece out of local rock. The 10 columns on the front side of the hall are decorated with coiled dragons. It is said that these columns were covered during visits by the emperor in order not to arouse his envy. Dacheng Hall served as the principal place for offering sacrifices to the memory of Confucius. In the center of the courtyard in front of Dacheng Hall stands the "Apricot Platform", which commemorates Confucius teaching his students under an apricot tree. Each year at Qufu and at many other Confucian temples a ceremony is held on September 28 to commemorate Confucius' birthday. (see external links below)

The artifacts of the historical sites at Qufu suffered extensive damage during the Cultural Revolution when about 200 staff members and students of Beijing Normal University lead by Tan Houlan (谭厚兰, 1937–1982), one of the five most powerful student leaders of the Cultural Revolution, came to Qufu and destroyed more than 6000 artifacts in November 1966.[1][2][3]

Cemetery of Confucius (Kong Lin)

The Cemetery of Confucius (孔林; pinyin: Kǒng Lín) lies to the north of the town of Qufu, the oldest graves found in this location date back to the Zhou Dynasty. The original tomb erected here in memory of Confucius on the bank of the Sishui River had the shape of an axe. In addition, it had a brick platform for sacrifices. The present-day tomb is a cone-shaped hill. Tombs for the descendants of Confucius and additional stela to commemorate him were soon added around Confucius' tomb. Since Confucius' descendants were conferred noble titles and were given imperial princesses as wives, many of the tombs in the cemetery show the status symbols of noblemen. Tombstones came in use during the Han Dynasty, today, there are about 3,600 tombstones dating from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties still standing in the cemetery. In 1331 construction work began on the wall and gate of the cemetery. In total, the cemetery has undergone 13 renovations and extensions. Eventually, by the late 18th century, the perimeter wall reached a length of 7.5 km, enclosing an area of 3.6 square kilometers. In this space, the tombs of more than 100,000 descendants of Confucius, who have been buried there over a period of about 2000 years, can be found. The oldest graves date back to the Zhou Dynasty, the most recent of which belong to descendants in the 76th and 78th generation. The corpse of the duke of Qufu in the 76th was removed from its grave and hung naked from a tree in front of the palace during the desecration of the cemetery in the cultural revolution.[4] More than 10,000 mature trees give the cemetery a forest-like appearance. A road runs from the north gate of Qufu to the exterior gate of the cemetery in a straight line. It is 1266 m in length and lined by cypresses and pine trees. Along this road lies the Yan Temple, dedicated to Confucius' favorite student. Kong Family Mansion (Kong Fu)

The direct descendants of Confucius lived in the Kong family Mansion (孔府; pinyin: Kǒng Fǔ) located to the east of the temple. They were in charge of tending to the temple and cemetery. In particular, they were in charge of conducting elaborate religious ceremonies on occasions such as plantings, harvests, honoring the dead, and birthdays. The Kong family was in control of the largest private rural estate in China. The first mansion was built in 1038 during the Song dynasty and was originally connected directly to the temple. During a rebuilding in 1377 directed by the first Ming dynasty Emperor, it was moved a short distance away from the temple. In 1503, it was expanded into three rows of buildings with 560 rooms and - like the Confucius Temple - 9 courtyards. The mansion underwent a complete renovation in 1838 only to perish in a fire 47 years later in 1887. It was rebuilt two years later; the cost of both 19th century renovations was covered by the Emperor. Today, the mansion comprises 152 buildings with 480 rooms, which cover an area of 12,470 square metres (134,200 sq ft). Its tallest structure is the 4-story refuge tower (Chinese: 避难楼; pinyin: Bìnán Lóu) that was designed as a shelter during an attack but was never used. The family mansion was inhabited by descendants of Confucius until 1937, when Confucius' descendant in the 76th and 77th generations fled to Chongqing during the Second Sino-Japanese War and later during the Chinese Civil War to Taiwan, where the head of the family still resides.

The layout of the mansion is traditionally Chinese, it separates official rooms in the front from the residential quarters in the rear. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the buildings according to the seniority, gender, and status of their inhabitants reflects the Confucian principle of order and hierarchy: The most senior descendant of Confucius took up residence in the central of the three main buildings; his younger brother occupied the Yi Gun hall to the east.

The Five Strange objects are one of the main attractions of the Confucian Mansion 1.

5. The strange couplet The strange picture The strange beast The strange tree The strange monument

Each of these has a particularly unusual feature about them.

The Eighteen Mountain Benda

Taishan Mountain lies in central Shandong Province, spanning the ranges of Tai'an and Jinan cities. It covers an area of 550 square meters. It was regarded as preeminent among China's Five Sacred Mountains. 72 Chinese emperors of various dynasties made pilgrimages to Taishan Mountain for sacrificial and other ceremonial purposes, including Emperor Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC), Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD), Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Taishan Mountain is endowed with many scenic spots. A large number of them were given names in ancient times. They include 112 peaks, 98 precipices, 18 caves, 58 oddly shaped rocks, 102 streams and valleys, 56 pools and waterfalls, and 64 springs. Vegetation covers 79.9% of the area. The flora is known to comprise 989 species in 144 families.

Azure Cloud Temple

Taishan Mountain also boasts cultural heritage with an incessant history of several thousand years. Currently on the mountain, there are 22 ancient architectural complexes, 97 ruins, 819 stone tablets and 1,800 stone inscriptions, which provide a natural museum for the study of ancient history and calligraphy. Main sites of interest are the Tiankuang Temple, Nantian Gate, Azure Cloud Temple, Peak for Viewing the Sun, and Sutra Rock Valley, etc.

Taishan Mountain is a mountain of outstanding value from the point of view of aesthetics, science, history and culture. Taishan Mountain was elected to the "World Heritage List" in 1987. Chinese people tend to describe a situation as being as stable as Taishan Mountain or a matter as being as weighty as Taishan Mountain, giving clear evidence of such an impression.

Cultural Heritage

Taishan Mountain is one of the birthplaces of the ancient Chinese civilization along the Yellow River. Evidence of human activities includes two flourishing cultures -- the Dawenkou Culture to the north and the Longshan Culture to the south of the mountain. During the Warring States Period, a 500-kilometer-long wall was built from Taishan Mountain to the Yellow Sea. Scenic spots related to the famous

ancient sage Confucius are the Confucian Temple, places where Confucius climbed

Taishan Mountain and viewed the scenery, etc.

Taishan Mountain has an extremely rich cultural heritage. It has always been regarded as pre-eminent among China's five sacred mountains. It was also a symbol of power. Emperors of different dynasties have made pilgrimages to it for sacrificial purposes shortly after they came to the throne or when the land enjoyed peaceful and prosperous times. Poets and literary scholars of each dynasty also visited Taishan Mountain. Numerous rock inscriptions and stone tablets bear testimony to such visits. Renowned scholars, including Confucius, Sima Qian, Cao Zhi, Li Bai, Du Fu, composed poetry and prose and left their calligraphy on the mountain. The currently preserved 97 sites and 22 ancient building complexes provide materials for research into China's ancient architecture.

Natural Heritage

Taishan Mountain rises abruptly to 1,300 meters above the vast plain of north China. The sharp contrast between Taishan Mountain and its surrounding plain and hills makes it especially majestic.

Taishan Mountain rises from about 150 meters above sea level (north of Tai'an City), to the Middle Gate to Heaven at 847 meters, to the Southern Gate to Heaven at 1,460 meters, and finally to the Jade Emperor Peak at 1,545 meters. Standing in the central part of Shandong, the mountain stretches 100 kilometers. Its base covers an area of 426 square kilometers. The wide base and huge body of the mountain gives an impression of solidity and dignity.

Taishan Mountain is a symbol of loftiness and grandeur, characterized by numerous old but still green pines and cypresses, towering precipices comprising metamorphic rock and granite, and ever-changing seas of clouds.

Preeminent of the Five Sacred Mountains

First of the Five Sacred Mountains

Taishan Mountain is also called Daishan, Daizong or Taiyue. Taishan Mountain lies west of the Yellow Sea and east of the Yellow River, spanning Tai'an City in the south and Jinan City in the north. The scenic area covers 125 square kilometers. Its main peak (Jade Emperor Peak) is 1,545 meters high. It is 8.9 kilometers from the Temple of the God of Taishan Mountain at the foot of the mountain to the Jade

Emperor Peak, with over 6,660 steps, 60 major scenic sites, and nearly 1,000 cliffside sculptures and over 200 stone tablets. Taishan Mountain is regarded as preeminent among the Five Sacred Mountains.

Laoshan Mountain

Laoshan Mountain lies in the east of Qingdao City, along the Huanghai Sea. It covers over 400 square kilometers, and is 1,130 meters above sea level. Among all the famous Chinese mountains it is the only one that shoots up directly from the seaside. The coastline around Laoshan Mountain extends 87 kilometers. The coastline is dotted with 18 islands, forming a marvelous view. Walking along the stone board path up to the mountain, one will find blue sea at one side while pine and stones on the other side.

Laoshan Mountain is famous for its Taoist experience. Some emperors of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC) and the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) used to visit Laoshan Mountain to look for immortals, and Tang (618-907) Emperor Minghuang also sent people to get medicine for him. Many poets and writers from different dynasties also paid visits to Laoshan Mountain. Taoism started to be missionized in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD) and became very popular ever since. There used to be nine palaces, eight Taoist temples and 72 small temples at most and over 1,000 Taoists on the Mountain. However, most of these temples and palaces were destroyed, and the Taiqing Palace is the largest one as well as the one with longest history among those left today.

It is said Pu Songling (1640-1715), a writer in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), used to live in the Sangong Palace. Several stories in his famous work Liaozhai Zhi Yi (Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio) take Laoshan Mountain as a background. There is a camellia tree of about 700 years old in front of the Sangong Palace, and the tree is 8,5 meters high and has a perimeter of 1.78 meters wide. In the palace there used to be a white peony as high as the roof. Pu is said to write the camellia and peony into his excellent love story of Xiang Yu (the name of a girl in the story), in which the camellia and the peony turn into two beautiful girls that fall in love with a young scholar.