The Confucius Temple of Pingyao is a national relics protected unit. The main building, Dacheng Hall, was repaired in the 3rd year of the reign of Emperor Jindading (1163), 240 to 700 years before the ones in Beijing and Nanjing. There are 87 sculptures of Confucius and his disciples at the site, which is the largest number in any temple. It has a fine regular exhibition of the history of the ancient Imperial Examination system. The International Photography Museum of Pingyao in the compound has a collection by revolutionary photographers including Sha Fei, Wu Yinxian as well as photographs by the American Ansel Adams. The Confucius Temple possesses a Ming Dynasty examination paper with the highest score for that year, as attested by the emperor's writing on it, the only one remaining from the 1,300 years of the Confucian imperial examination. |