The spacious forecourt of the Da Cheng Hall. Located at Wenmiao Lu the Confucian Temple is dedicated to China’s most revered sage. Founded in 1296 during the Yuan Dynasty, the temple was relocated four times before finally settling at its present site where it was rebuilt in 1855. In 1999 it was restored to commemorate the 2,550th birthday of Confucius. Housing the Confucian Temple School, it was Shanghai’s premier centre of learning, and admission was via passing the county level imperial exams. Outside the main Da Cheng Hall stands a 1.8 m tall bronze statue of the sage. Inside is a seated Confucius carved from a huge camphor block and flanked by a drum and a bell set, said to be his favourite musical instruments. All around on the walls is the complete text of his Analects chiselled in bluestone. In ancient times public access was restricted to one sector of the sprawling complex, but today you can explore all the way to the inner sanctum with its lecture hall, library an...