Wen Wu temple

A Wen Wu temple or Wenwu temple (Chinese: 文武廟) is a temple in China venerating both the patron gods of civil and martial affairs in the same temple complex. In southern China the civil god or Wéndì (Chinese: 文帝), is Wenchang (Chinese: 文昌) and in the north it is Confucius, in both the north and the south the martial god or Wǔdì (Chinese: 武帝) is Guan Yu (Chinese: 關帝). Although temples to either the civil or martial deities alone are widespread, it is comparatively rare to have temples venerating both. Wen Wu temples were patronised by those in the Ming and Qing dynasties seeking success in the Imperial examinations, which were divided into civil and military examinations, and by those seeking advancement in those professions which can be interpreted as falling under the aegis of either god; so for example to the present day civil servants will make offerings to the civil god and policemen to the martial god.

Examples of Wen Wu temples

Mainland China

• Danleng Weng Wu Temple, in Meishan Sichuan, constructed during the Yongxi period (984—987 CE) of the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song, reconstructed during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor (1522-1566) during the Ming Dynasty and expanded in the seventh year (1827 CE) of the Daoguang Emperor of Qing. The temple is said to be the alma mater of Su Shi.

Hong Kong

The Cantonese transliteration of 文武廟 is Man Mo Miu there are temples in

• Sheung Wan
• Tai Po
• Pak Ngan Heung, Mui Wo, Lantau Island

Taiwan

In Taiwan there are Wen Wu temples in

• Lukang, Changhua
• Sun Moon Lake the Sun Moon Lake Wen Wu Temple was built after rising water levels from building a dam forced several smaller temples to be removed.^[1]
• New Taipei City

See also

• Temple of Confucius

References

• The contents of this article was based on the corresponding zh wikipedia article on 28 February 2014

External links

Media related to Wen Wu temples at Wikimedia Commons