Jiangsu Tourism | The Only Southerner among Confucius' Disciples - Yanzici Temple in Changshu

Yanzici Temple Yanzi, styled Ziyu, was the only southerner among Confucius' three thousand disciples and was listed as one of the 'Seventy-two Sages'. He used his knowledge of literature and music to enlighten the culture of the southeast, and later generations called him the 'Southern Master'. In the Confucian temple, he is enshrined among the Ten Philosophers, with Yanzi being the ninth. The Yanzici Temple was originally built during the Song Dynasty, rebuilt in the Yuan Dynasty, and the main hall that is preserved within the temple still maintains the structural style of the Yuan period. The hall has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, a square plan, and is three bays wide and three bays deep, each measuring 10 meters in length. The columns of the hall are all made of Phoebe zhennan wood. The Changshu Confucian temple was once converted into a school, and now it is gradually being restored to its original appearance. The overall architectural style is modeled after Suzhou, with the main gate being a Lattice Star Gate, following the Song Dynasty 'Yingzao Fashi' in the form of a 'Wutou Gate', where two towering stone pillars are flanked by two wooden doors, and three gates stand side by side, connected by a red palace wall. On the east and west sides, the plaques are inscribed with 'Virtue Matches Heaven and Earth' and 'The Way Runs Through Ancient and Modern Times' respectively. The Confucian temple is very quiet inside, and there are places for people to rest and umbrellas for shade. I saw parents tutoring their children's homework, people taking a break; in short, everyone is very civilized! No noise. The Confucian temple is not too big or too small, and I highly recommend this leisurely journey to friends. 🎫Ticket Price: 10 RMB/person Locals seem to have a discount 🕰️Opening Hours: 08:00-16:00