Why can the apricot altar in Confucius Temple embody the spirit of Confucius?
Although emperors of past dynasties superimposed many scary titles on Confucius, such as Dacheng, Supreme Sage, Teacher and so on. Worship is like treating gods, and religious belief is like converting to leaders. In Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple, his statue also looks like an emperor wearing a crown and a yellow robe, but Confucius' life is lonely and bumpy, and he runs into a wall everywhere. His historical contribution and great legacy lie in that he is a thinker, philosopher and educator who has always adhered to his ideal of social life-"Tao". He represents the wisdom of dealing with the relationship between people, and its most fundamental and core things are timeless. This is the main reason why China people and foreigners have respected, admired and worshipped Confucius since ancient times.
Among all the buildings dedicated to Confucius, the apricot altar is the best symbol of Confucius' identity and image of never getting tired of learning and teaching all his life. Confucius set up a school in his hometown in his later years. At that time, there was not necessarily a later school, that is, a specific teaching setting. His teaching and education are mostly carried out in daily activities, and it is conceivable how lively it will be. There are many chapters in The Analects that record the speeches and questions of their teachers and students. At that time, there may have been almond trees near Confucius' residence, and the earth platform of almond trees became a place where their teachers and students often read, discuss or play. The earliest written record of Xingtan is in the article "Zhuangzi Fisherman", which tells that a fisherman with Taoist views taught Confucius a lesson. Originally, it was a fable made up by Zhuangzi. The text begins with a sermon:
Confucius swam in the shade forest and sat in the apricot altar. Disciples read books, and the bullets are played on strings and drums.
The apricot altar in Qufu Confucius Temple is naturally a memorial ceremony for Confucius by later generations. As early as the Han and Tang Dynasties, Xingtan was the main hall of Confucius Temple. In the first year of Song Ganxing, the temple system was expanded. After the temple was moved away, it was made into a brick altar with the old foundation, and apricot trees were planted around it, which was called the apricot altar. During the Jin Dynasty, pavilions were built on the altar. In the third year of Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1569), Qin Long was rebuilt into a double-eaved ridge-crossing pavilion surrounded by mountains. The abutment has stone pillars, caissons and arches, which are carved and painted, very fine, and look solemn and elegant, which is rare for pavilion buildings.