Kong Miao (Civ4)/Civilopedia

The Kong Miao, or Temple of Confucius, is located in the city of Qufu in China's Shangdong province. The origins of the temple date back to 478 BC, when a local ruler built a temple to honor Confucius (who had only recently passed away and was relatively unknown in most of China). As time passed and the fame of Confucius began to spread, the Kong Miao grew in stature and importance as well. The Han Emperor Wu Di offered sacrifice at the site in 205 BC, and the Kong Miao continued to be patronized by various emperors across the centuries.
The actual buildings that make up the Kong Miao have been torn down and rebuilt many times over the centuries. The present layout dates to the early 16th century, when the temple was rebuilt following a massive conflagration in 1499 sparked by lightning. Since this construction took place at the same time as Beijing's Forbidden Palace, there are many design similarities between the two complexes. The Kong Miao is known not only for its size (it comprises some 466 rooms), but also for its stone sculptures and calligraphy dating back to many different dynasties. Today it is both a holy Confucian shrine and a popular tourist attraction.