Traces of the Sage explores the history, architecture and conservation of Kong Temple (The Temple of Confucius) in Qufu Shandong. Although the temple is among the oldest continually maintained architectural sites in the world, the study proposes that it should not be understood as a stable entity, but rather in terms of its ongoing construction. By analyzing the circumstances of construction and maintenance at various points in Chinese history the book investigates how the temple was perceived and valued as a relic of Confucius. Through an investigation of the rituals and ritual appointments i ... More

Traces of the Sage explores the history, architecture and conservation of Kong Temple (The Temple of Confucius) in Qufu Shandong. Although the temple is among the oldest continually maintained architectural sites in the world, the study proposes that it should not be understood as a stable entity, but rather in terms of its ongoing construction. By analyzing the circumstances of construction and maintenance at various points in Chinese history the book investigates how the temple was perceived and valued as a relic of Confucius. Through an investigation of the rituals and ritual appointments it is shown that ritual itself was a form of material culture. By analyzing the evolution of the temple’s architecture and space it is shown how the temple developed from a family concern into the symbolic center of state Confucianism. In turning to the 20th and early 21st century the book argues that pre-modern forms of engagement were undermined by a new focus on politics that recreated Kong Temple as a problematic ‘cultural relic’ and site of mass tourism.