A serene spot in the middle of a busy city, Shanghai Confucian Temple brings you closer to the founder of Confucianism and his teachings. Dedicated to the ancient Chinese philosopher and educator, the temple was built in the late 14th century and served as one of Shanghai's major learning establishments for a long time. The vast complex features three courtyards, 28 buildings, numerous stone carvings, stone arches, and drum towers. Once you've entered, cross the bridge over a little pond, paying attention to the decorations in the form of lion and dragon heads. A bronze statue of Confucius holding a sword greets visitors from the front door of the main hall, with a golden statue of the great teacher and his two disciples aside him in the center of the hall. Take a moment to admire the huge bell, adorned with dragon patterns and 24 carriages depicting Confucius' journey. Take the guesswork out of planning a Shanghai vacation by using our trip itinerary maker.
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Shanghai Confucian Temple reviews
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Enjoyed my visit to this temple. Really quiet. The biggest surprise was the tea-pot collection at the back of the complex. Beautiful! It’s well maintained more »
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An oasis of calm in a very busy bustling part of a busy city. Our guide Penny was very knowledgable and her English was excellent. No question too difficult. She was also very helpful with... more »
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A nice surprise in the middle of older neighborhood - hosts a used book market on Sundays. We went to see the used book market and ended up with two enjoyable parts in one visit. We took the metro and walked to the temple following the phone map app, which took us through the older surrounding neighborhood. Everyone was friendly and one lady helped point us around the corner to the southern gate entrance. I've added pics of the neighborhood. If you want the full access then pay 10RMB, otherwise you can just go to the book market inside the inner courtyard. 10RMB lets you go into the temple as well as the other courtyards. If you go early for the book market (0730-1500) then you pretty much have the other areas to yourself. Go towards the temple and the guards will ask for your tickets. Most people think they cannot go up, but that us what your ticket paid for. PROs - Well maintained and off the main tourist route yet still easy to get to. - Super cheap - Friendly helpful guards - beautiful artwork in back courtyards - Used book market on Sunday mornings until 3pm. Great finds and deals to be made. CONs - Can be a little intimidating with a guard standing before the steps into the temple, but he's just there to make sure the market crowd doesn't spread out. - Map apps can take you to other gates that are not open. Go to the southern gate on Wenmiao. Enjoy both the market and the temple as a slice of Chinese culture!
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