Confucius TemplePost date：2009-07-16
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Born in the Spring and Autumn Period in 551 BC, Confucius was not only an educator but also a thinker and philosopher. The Chinese address him as the "greatest sage and teacher." The Taipei City Confucius Temple makes ritual offerings to the memorial tablet of "the greatest sage and teacher Confucius" in praise of Confucius’ lofty status and confucian thinking that has been passed down over thousands of years.
Because Confucius advocated simplicity, the Taipei City Confucius Temple is different from other temples in many ways. The building is simple and unadorned, and there are no stone lions standing in the doorway. There is no writing on any of the columns, doors, or windows. It is said that the lack of writing is because no one dares to show off in front of Confucius.
The Taipei City Confucius Temple holds a Memorial Ceremony for Confucius on September 28, Confucius’ birthday, every year. The showpiece of the ceremony is the graceful ritual dance, a traditional dance that is used to express our respect for Confucius. The Wisdom Cake distributed after the ceremony is the most anticipated part of the event for many people. The vegetarian cake is made of rice flour and is used to replace offerings such as pork, beef, or lamb. In general, people believe that they will receive a blessing from Confucius and achieve success in examinations after eating the Wisdom Cake. For that reason, parents whose children are going to take part in an exam often enthusiastically attend the ceremony and ask for the Wisdom Cake. It is a very interesting event.
Because Confucius advocated simplicity, the Taipei City Confucius Temple is different from other temples in many ways. The building is simple and unadorned, and there are no stone lions standing in the doorway. There is no writing on any of the columns, doors, or windows. It is said that the lack of writing is because no one dares to show off in front of Confucius.
The Taipei City Confucius Temple holds a Memorial Ceremony for Confucius on September 28, Confucius’ birthday, every year. The showpiece of the ceremony is the graceful ritual dance, a traditional dance that is used to express our respect for Confucius. The Wisdom Cake distributed after the ceremony is the most anticipated part of the event for many people. The vegetarian cake is made of rice flour and is used to replace offerings such as pork, beef, or lamb. In general, people believe that they will receive a blessing from Confucius and achieve success in examinations after eating the Wisdom Cake. For that reason, parents whose children are going to take part in an exam often enthusiastically attend the ceremony and ask for the Wisdom Cake. It is a very interesting event.
