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Kongzhai Shrine of the Robe and Cap of Confucius in Shanghai, also known as “孔宅衣冠祠墓” Murray, Julia K.
Description
A place called Kongzhai (Kong Residence), located in a once-rural area that is now within the borders of metropolitan Shanghai, formerly had a shrine for venerating Confucius (Kongzi / Master Kong) that was premised on the belief that a much later descendant had buried the ancient master's robe, cap, and jade ornaments there. Far from the region in North China where Confucius had lived or traveled and over 1000 years after his death, the alleged burial of these relics inspired local late Ming literati to construct a temple complex, centered on an above-ground "Tomb of the Robe and Cap" and a sacrificial hall with sculptural icons. At its height in the early Qing period, Kongzhai's structures, assorted visual images, and ritual artifacts supported its claim to be “Little Queli,” a surrogate for the primordial temple, cemetery, and mansion of Confucius's Kong descendants in Qufu, Shandong. Scholars gathered there to experience his beneficent aura, and sacrifices to Confucius were performed with the same liturgy as in the official Confucian temples attached to government schools. Ambitious officials and local literati used their patronage and interactions with Kongzhai to enhance their own prestige and that of the humble locality. Eventually a line of Kong descendants was designated to take charge of sacrifices, as at other places where descendants had settled. Kongzhai's fortunes declined in the 19th century, and the fall of the Qing dynasty delegitimized Confucian ritualism. In the 20th century, Kongzhai became a target of Maoist campaigns against feudalism, superstition, and undesirable social classes, and it was conclusively destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. One building was later reconstructed in a park several miles away. All that remains on the former site itself are two very old ginkgo trees.
Item Metadata
| Title |
Kongzhai Shrine of the Robe and Cap of Confucius in Shanghai, also known as “孔宅衣冠祠墓”
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| Creator | |
| Contributor | |
| Publisher |
Database of Religious History (DRH)
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| Date Issued |
2023-02-27
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| Description |
A place called Kongzhai (Kong Residence), located in a once-rural area that is now within the borders of metropolitan Shanghai, formerly had a shrine for venerating Confucius (Kongzi / Master Kong) that was premised on the belief that a much later descendant had buried the ancient master's robe, cap, and jade ornaments there. Far from the region in North China where Confucius had lived or traveled and over 1000 years after his death, the alleged burial of these relics inspired local late Ming literati to construct a temple complex, centered on an above-ground "Tomb of the Robe and Cap" and a sacrificial hall with sculptural icons. At its height in the early Qing period, Kongzhai's structures, assorted visual images, and ritual artifacts supported its claim to be “Little Queli,” a surrogate for the primordial temple, cemetery, and mansion of Confucius's Kong descendants in Qufu, Shandong. Scholars gathered there to experience his beneficent aura, and sacrifices to Confucius were performed with the same liturgy as in the official Confucian temples attached to government schools. Ambitious officials and local literati used their patronage and interactions with Kongzhai to enhance their own prestige and that of the humble locality. Eventually a line of Kong descendants was designated to take charge of sacrifices, as at other places where descendants had settled. Kongzhai's fortunes declined in the 19th century, and the fall of the Qing dynasty delegitimized Confucian ritualism. In the 20th century, Kongzhai became a target of Maoist campaigns against feudalism, superstition, and undesirable social classes, and it was conclusively destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. One building was later reconstructed in a park several miles away. All that remains on the former site itself are two very old ginkgo trees.
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| Subject | |
| Genre | |
| Type | |
| Language |
eng
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| Date Available |
2023-12-08
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| Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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| Rights |
Attribution 4.0 International
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| DOI |
10.14288/1.0438222
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| URI | |
| Affiliation | |
| Citation |
Julia K Murray. (2023). Kongzhai Shrine of the Robe and Cap of Confucius in Shanghai. Database of Religious History, Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia.
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| Peer Review Status |
Unreviewed
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| Scholarly Level |
Faculty
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| Rights URI | |
| Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International