The Taipei Confucius Temple is a Confucian temple in Datong District, Taipei, Taiwan.

History

Qing Dynasty

The Taipei Confucius Temple was built in 1879 during the Qing era, after Taipeh Prefecture was established in 1875.

Empire of Japan

During the Japanese era, the temple was demolished, but was rebuilt in 1930 by. The newly completed temple had only been in use for a few years when World War II broke out. The Japanese ordered an end to traditional Chinese ceremonies, and Japanese Shinto ritual music was played in the temple for a brief period until 1945 when Taiwan was handed over from Japan to the Republic of China.

Republic of China

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, the temple was temporarily used to house the Examination Yuan until 1951 when the office was moved to Muzha District. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, visitors to the temple are required to maintain social distance and their numbers were regulated to ensure safety.

Architecture

The temple is modeled after the original Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong. Among the Confucius temples in Taiwan, Taipei's is the only one decorated with southern Fujian-style ceramic ornaments.

Events

Every year on September 28, a ceremony with traditional music and stylized dancing is held at the temple in honor of Confucius. The temple is also the place where students, accompanied by their parents, pay a visit before their college entrance exam to seek for blessing.

Transportation

The temple is accessible within walking distance West from Yuanshan Station of the Taipei Metro.