Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao)

In the south of Nanjing, near a stretch of the Qinhai River (110 km long tributary of Yangtze River southwest of Jiangsu Province), is a newly developed area with Qing-style buildings, house shops and restaurants and is also a tourist attraction. It has been damaged and rebuilt repeatedly, and was once a center of Confucius study for more than 1500 years.

Imperial examinations were held at the capital every three years during the early Ming Dyansty (1368-1644). The examination hall comprised 20,600 tiny cubicles in which candidates were locked and kept guarded during the three-day examinations. Food was distributed in daily to sustain the candidates through the trying ordeal.

A stone bridge and a square tower are all that remain of this huge establishment. Inside the tower are stele inscribed with the rules of conduct for the examinations and the history of the hall itself.

Today Fuzimiao has become Nanjing's main amusement quarter and is a particularly lively and crowded place on weekends and public holidays.

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