Wenchang Confucian Temple

The Confucius Temple has 'Ritual Gate' and 'Ceremony Gate' but no south-facing gate. This Wenchang Confucius Temple, built during the Qingli period of the Northern Song Dynasty, is located at No. 20 Wendong Road, Wenchang Town, and is one of the most well-preserved ancient architectural complexes in Hainan Province. It is known as the 'First Temple of Hainan'. Every time before the children in Wenchang are about to take exams, the locals will take the candidates in their families to the Wenchang Confucius Temple to pray, and walk on the Scholar Bridge, hoping for a smooth exam and a successful career. Why is there no south-facing gate? It is said that the people of Wenchang made a vow that as long as Wenchang did not produce a top scholar, the Confucius Temple would never open a south-facing gate. It is also the only Confucius Temple in the country that does not have a south-facing gate, so until now, there are only the 'Ritual Gate' and 'Ceremony Gate' on the left and right. It is worth mentioning that in 2013, the Wenchang Academy, which is affiliated with the Wenchang Confucius Temple, was listed as the seventh batch of national key protection units. And in February 2018, it was also rated as a national 3A tourist attraction. 🎫Ticket: 15 yuan, students have discounts 🚘Parking: Free Business hours: Monday to Sunday 8:30-18:00 Tour time: about 45 minutes Nearby attractions: Wen Nan Old Street

🌴 Compared to Sanya and Haikou, in Hainan, I still love Wenchang, this small city, more. The pace of life here is very slow, filled with the atmosphere of everyday life, with clean and clear seas and skies, and every evening you can encounter different afterglows of the sunset. 🏠 Accommodation: It is recommended to stay in Wenchang city center, which is more convenient for dining. Hotels like Guiyuan Tianqiao Residence, Home Inn, Time Mark, Vienna, and some others that have been renovated in recent years are quite clean. 🚘 Transportation: Within the city area, Didi, motorcycle taxis, and shared transportation are very convenient options. It is recommended to drive to the coastal scenic spots, most of which are also accessible by direct bus. ✨✨ Scenic Spot Recommendations: 📍 Wenchang Confucian Temple The birthplace of education in Wenchang, a millennium-old Confucian cultural holy land, 'Hainan's First Temple'. The ancient architectural complex here is well-preserved, with a strong cultural atmosphere. 📍 Qinglan Gaolong Bay Gaolong Bay has a long coastline, and you can stroll along the coast to the Platinum Coast. It wins with a variety of food, reasonable prices, and in the afternoon, you can sit on the beach to enjoy herbal jelly and barbecue, drink coconut water, and buy some seafood at Qinglan Pier to have processed at a seaside shop for a proper meal. 📍 Dongjiao Coconut Grove It is a large coconut grove composed of beaches, where you can taste red coconuts. At the westernmost Coconut Bay, you can see a beautiful sunset, and after watching the sunset, you can have a meal of coconut milk chicken here. 📍 Longlou Stone Park There are large expanses of reefs, which are super photogenic. Standing on the rocks and feeling the sea is very stunning and shocking. During rocket launches, this is an excellent observation point. Be careful when climbing the rocks. 📍 Longlou Tonggu Ridge There are sightseeing cars up and down the mountain, but the whole journey is not long, almost all on major roads, and it is not tiring to walk up. From the top of the mountain, you can overlook Moon Bay. 📍 Longlou Qishui Bay The sea at Qishui Bay is much cleaner, and there are fewer people. It is one of the rocket launch observation points. 📍 Tonggu Buddha's Light The sea here is also relatively clean, and there is a seaside temple, which is very photogenic. 📍 Changsa Song's Ancestral Residence It better presents the style of Wenchang residences, with a strong cultural heritage. Family trips can consider visiting. 📍 Changsa Moon Bay Moon Bay is much less crowded than other beaches, and the beach is also very clean. Driving along Pulong Road, you can complete the entire coastline. 📍 Puqian Old Street Compared to Wen Nan Old Street, Puqian Old Street is a bit more walkable. After eating Zaocu vinegar, you can take a walk to Puqian Port Pier. In the afternoon, there are many seafood stalls there. 📍 Huwei Ridge The filming location of Peach Blossom Dock, where you can check in and take photos. The road is relatively poor, and the beach is not maintained. Currently, it is only accessible by self-driving. 📍 Mulan Bay Not far from Huwei Ridge is the Mulan Lighthouse and Mulan Bay. Mulan Bay is far from Puqian Town, and a new coastal road has been built. Driving along the road, the scenery is absolutely beautiful. 📍 Puqian Seaside Windmills Navigate to 'Fukang Aquatic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.', where there is a row of white windmills by the sea. If you encounter the sunset, the photos are super photogenic.

Address: No. 20, Wendongli, Wencheng Town, Wenchang City Ticket: Adult 15r Elderly/Children/Students 5r Opening hours: 08:00-17:30 Visiting for about 1 hour is recommended, and it is suggested to bring children for a visit. The Wenchang Confucian Temple, also known as Wen Temple or Holy Temple, was built during the Qingli period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1041-1048) and is one of the most well-preserved ancient architectural complexes in Hainan Province, covering an area of 3,300 square meters. It mainly consists of the Li Gate, Yi Road, Lingxing Gate, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Pan Pool, Dacheng Gate, Yue Platform, Dacheng Hall, Chongsheng Shrine, East and West Wings, Zhongyi Xiaoti Shrine, Jie Xiao Shrine, Minghuan Shrine, and Xiangxian Shrine. It reflects the economic, cultural, and scientific development of Wenchang and Hainan at that time, as well as the close relationship with the mainland of China. The Confucian Temple not only worships 'the most sacred teacher, the teacher of all generations' Confucius but also venerates the sages and scholars of past dynasties. It is the birthplace of Wenchang culture, the location of the Wenchang cultural vein. It is also the holy land for the spread of Confucianism in Qiongzhou and an outstanding representative of ancient architecture. It is known as 'the number one temple in Hainan'. During our visit, Dongdong and I approached with a devout attitude, and also had the child bow earnestly towards the statue of Confucius, walk past the Zhuangyuan Pool, visit the Dacheng Hall, and see the wishing signs left by the students at the Confucian Temple, which was very touching. Recently, there is also an exhibition on the historical background of the imperial examinations in the Confucian Temple, which is very worthwhile for children to visit and learn from. Moreover, the red walls and green stones, the coiling dragons and auspicious details are filled with elements of classical charm everywhere. It's also a great spot for taking photos!

Next stop: Wenchang Wencheng Town Before, I always visited the scenic areas near Longlou This time I chose Wencheng Town as the destination Staying at the Bamen Port Theme Hotel🏨 Nearby there is Qingxing Dad's Tea Shop, and two kilometers ahead is the Wangxi Tea Restaurant Both places have decent food The marbled tofu is really delicious ～ After breakfast, you can visit the Confucius Temple to feel the cultural atmosphere of Wenchang After leaving the Confucius Temple, you can stroll around Wen Nan Old Street to experience the arcade architecture Also visited the Fu Family Mansion, but unfortunately, it was locked and not open to the public If you're not in a hurry, you can leisurely spend a whole day in Wencheng Town