The ancestral temple commemorating the founder of the State of Lu and the establisher of the Zhou rites

Duke of Zhou, surnamed Ji and named Dan, was the fourth son of King Wen of Zhou, Ji Chang, and the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa. Because his fief was in Zhou, he was called Duke of Zhou. When the Zhou Dynasty was first established, he was enfeoffed in the State of Lu in Qufu, becoming the first ruler of Lu. However, he stayed in the court to assist the king, and his eldest son, Bo Qin, took the fief. The Duke of Zhou Temple is located about a mile northeast of Qufu City in Shandong Province. It is one of the three major Duke of Zhou Temples in the country. Its full name is Wenxianwang Temple, also known as Yuansheng Temple, a temple dedicated to the Duke of Zhou. The Duke of Zhou Temple is also known as the Grand Ancestral Temple of Lu, the ancestral temple of the State of Lu. The temple has undergone multiple reconstructions during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, reaching its current scale. The temple complex consists of three courtyards, with 57 buildings including halls, pavilions, gates, and archways, covering a total area of 75 acres. The temple is lush with ancient trees, deep and serene, with a somewhat desolate and dilapidated atmosphere. The achievements of the Duke of Zhou's life are summarized in the "Great Tradition of the Book of Documents": "In the first year, he quelled chaos; in the second year, he conquered Yin; in the third year, he subdued Yan; in the fourth year, he established marquises and guards; in the fifth year, he built Chengzhou; in the sixth year, he established rites and music; in the seventh year, he handed over governance to King Cheng." The Duke of Zhou Temple is also the site of the ancient city of the State of Lu. The State of Lu was a vassal state of the Zhou Dynasty during the pre-Qin period, with its territory mainly in southern and central Shandong. At one point, it competed with the State of Qi for dominance in the east. The State of Lu had 25 generations and 34 rulers, lasting 795 years, nearly 800 years. In 256 BC, King Kaolie of Chu dispatched an army to destroy the State of Lu. The Ji royal family of the State of Lu in history adhered to and implemented the Zhou rites, being staunch protectors and implementers of the Zhou Dynasty's system, playing an important role in maintaining the social order and cultural heritage of the Zhou Dynasty. The State of Lu was also an important birthplace of Confucianism, with great thinkers like Confucius and Mencius born there, having a profound impact on Chinese history and culture. The ancient city of the State of Lu was the longest-used capital among the vassal states of the Zhou Dynasty, lasting over 900 years. It is one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. To this day, there are remains of walls, moats, copper smelting, iron smelting, pottery workshops, and other handicraft workshop sites, currently undergoing archaeological excavation.