Jiangchuan Confucian Temple: A recorder of history

In central Yunnan’s Jiangchuan County, there is a Confucian Temple which still retains the layout of ancient Chinese architecture. With the Zhongxiu Academy in its west, the main buildings, from the screen wall to Chongsheng Hall, are on the central axis. They form the temple as a whole.

Stories have been told for generations about the name of Zhongxiu Academy. Lin Zexu, an official during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and best known for his role in the First Opium War(or the First Anglo-Chinese War)(1840–1842), was the then governor of Yunnan and Guizhou.

In 1846, he inspected the south of Yunnan and his final destination was Lin’an(today’s Jianshui). In July of that year, he arrived in Jiangchuan. One day, he paid a visit to the Confucian Temple at dusk and changed the name of the Academy.

Lin Zexu came to the Zhongxiu Academy which was called “Golden Lotus Academy” at that time. He commented on the name of the academy: “Although Golden Lotus Academy is named after Golden Lotus Mountain, the name is unpractical and improper.”

Then, Lin renamed the academy as Zhongxiu Academy. In Chinese, “Zhongxiu” is often used to describe a place endowed with fine spirits of the universe for cultivating talents. In the past, the Academy was a study facility of the Confucian Temple.

To rename it Zhongxiu, Lin maybe wanted the Academy to cultivate more talents for the country. Nowadays, the Zhongxiu Academy is still used for educational purpose. 

Stone carvings are the highlight of the Jiangchuan Confucian Temple. The best one is Dragon Pillar. The Jiangchuan temple is one of the two well-reserved temples with Dragon Pillars in Yunnan.

More than 170 years have passed since Lin visited the Jiangchuan Confucian Temple. Today, many locals said every time when they look at the hundred-year-old stone tables and mounded paintings, they could feel the history unfolding in front of them.

By Gong Jingyang, Photographs by Meng Zhigang