Discovering Confucius’ Legacy Through Travel游览中华大地，领略儒家文化

布鲁斯·康诺利 范婕

At Tianjin’s Shangri-La Hotel， I watched with fascination a historic daily pageant performed in its expansive lobby. Artists dressed in elegant costumes went through classical rituals. The troupe was brought north by the tourism bureau of Shandong province’s Qufu， hometown of renowned philosopher Confucius. I was fixated as they moved gracefully against backdrops displaying insights into that great sage’s longstanding legacy.

It also provided a chance to reflect on my earlier days of China travel. Those journeys across this vast land were always a learning experience. At school level back in my native Scotland， very little was understood of Confucius or his influence on Chinese thought and culture. But I would at times hear things like， “As Confucius said， ‘Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.’” As a geographer， I also became fascinated with the Chinese relationship with land and water， and how this influenced building design and construction. Confucius wrote， “The wise delight in water， the virtuous delight in mountains. The wise are active， the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are happy， the virtuous are long-lived.”

Confucius （551-479 BC） was a teacher and philosopher from China’s Spring and Autumn Period （770-476 BC） who has had a lasting impact on Chinese culture. Today he is recognized internationally for his writings and sayings. His philosophy emphasized morality， correct social relationships， justice and sincerity. He championed family loyalty， respect for ancestors and elders by their children. Confucian thought has been influential through much of China’s long history and continues to be held in high esteem.

Qufu is a relatively small city I first came upon in 1996. Then， it was an intermediary stop on the railway between Beijing and Shanghai. In my early days of travel before today’s high-speed services， rail travel was much slower. But an on-board service， now gone， were announcements about each station stop. In Chinese and in English they would tell of the geography， history and distinguished persons associated with each town. At Qufu they spoke of Confucius and his legacy. As I mentioned， I was not so familiar with him except his name and some well-recited phrases. It was fortuitous to listen and appreciate my proximity to his birthplace. I never disembarked at Qufu， as my time was limited.

I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Kong， chairman of the Qufu Tourism Bureau and Peter Qu， general manager of the Qufu Shangri-La Hotel. We talked extensively about the role of Confucian tourism in and around Qufu， and how the city’s contemporary prosperity has in part been driven by its history. The Qufu Shangri-La brought two of their head chefs to Tianjin who were veterans on Confucian cuisine， and they helped prepare a range of dishes to recreate the Qufu culinary experience. That area is renowned for Kong Family Cuisine， based on the Shandong cooking style with added imperial influence and a touch of Huaiyang flavor from South China.

To understand some of China’s history， it is useful to appreciate Confucius. So where better to start than some of the temples and schools dedicated to him nationwide？ In the mid-1990s I lived along a traditional Beijing hutong， a short walk from Lama Temple or Yonghegong. Nearby sat Beijing’s Confucian Temple or Kong Miao， and the adjacent former Imperial College. Throughout several dynasties that school was the national center of administration for learning in a very traditional educational system. It included the teachings of Confucius and a very strict examination requiring intensive personal study.

During my early years exploring the area， the temple was often quiet. I found it excellent for relaxation and reflection. Its crimson-colored buildings represented a grand Ming Dynasty architectural style although construction initially dated from 1302 during the Yuan period. After Qufu， it is China’s second-largest Confucian temple. Today classes on early Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy， calligraphy， music and more are held within some of its smaller halls.

I would go on to discover more of the Confucian influence. In 2017， I visited Pingyao in Shanxi province. From the walls still enclosing the Old Town I looked across to the sloping roof of its Confucian temple， known as “Wenmiao”. Founded as early as the Tang Dynasty （618-907 AD）， it is one of the oldest and best preserved structures of its kind in China. It was a personal joy to stay in a hotel built in the historic Chinese style and literally adjoining the temple.

Nanjing was another city where I experienced elements of Confucian heritage. Nanjing， whose name literally means “Southern Capital”， had an active temple in what is today the Fuzimiao tourist district on the north bank of the Qinhuai River. That temple dates from 1034， though the current structure was built in the 19th century. When I first visited in 1996， it was a quiet area， but what I wanted to see were the exam booths. Stories abound of students confined into cramped spaces， spending considerable time trying to achieve the highest possible grade. That was many years ago， but when I came to China in 1992 to work within the higher education sector of Guangdong， I personally witnessed students studying for many hours. I still see elements of this in the modern bookstores opening across China.

I have always felt that it is the people who make a city， something I certainly feel about Tianjin. I recently delighted in exploring its Confucian Temple. One of the oldest buildings in Tianjin， it is also the largest traditional architectural structure in the city. It has survived since the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644） largely intact. Almost palace-like in design， it features decorative archways， goldfish ponds and ancestral halls where students would pray for success in their academic studies.

It is only a short distance along the Haihe River from that temple to the Shangri-La Hotel. There I found the recent cultural performances centering around Confucius quite stimulating. Watching the rituals unfold had me thinking again of China， of no matter how long we stay here there is always something new to discover. There is so much to revisit to gradually put together a picture of what I feel constitutes China， including its fascinating Confucian heritage.

在天津香格里拉酒店宽敞的大厅，每天都有关于古代文化的演出活动，身穿优雅古装的演员们表演种种古典礼仪，我看得入迷。这个艺术团是山东省曲阜旅游局带到北方来的，曲阜正是著名思想家孔子的故乡。演员们动作优美，背景幕布上展现着那位大哲人经久不衰的文化传承，我完全被吸引住了。

这种演出还让我回忆起了初到中国旅游的日子。游历于这片广阔土地，我总能学到新东西。在我的祖国苏格兰，上学时对孔子及其对中国思想与文化的影响都知之甚少。但有时，我会听到这样的话：“子曰：‘己所不欲，勿施于人。’”身为地理学家，我对中国人与水土的关系以及这种关系如何影响了建筑设计和建造也深感兴趣。孔子曾写道：“智者乐水，仁者乐山;智者动，仁者静;智者乐，仁者寿。”

孔子（公元前551—前479）是中国春秋时期（公元前770—前476）的一位教育家和思想家，对中国文化有着深远影响。如今，其著作和语录也让他获得了全世界的认可。他思想理念的重点在于道德、良好社会关系、公正和真诚。他倡导要忠于家庭，小辈要尊敬长辈和祖先。在中国悠久历史进程的大部分时间里，孔子的思想一直颇具影響力，并将继续受到高度尊重。

曲阜是一座较小的城市，我第一次到那里是在1996年，当时火车的京沪线会在曲阜经停。我早年在中国各地旅游时，还没有今天的高铁，火车速度比现在要慢很多。但有一种如今已不复存在的服务：中途每经停一站，火车上都会响起中英双语广播，介绍这个站所在城镇的相关地理、历史和杰出人物。在曲阜站，广播里讲的是孔子和他的文化传承。如上所述，我对孔子了解并不多，只知道有这么个人和他的一些名言。当时得知自己就身处孔子故乡，也是纯属巧合。因为那时候我时间有限，所以并未在曲阜站下车。

后来，我有幸结识了曲阜旅游局局长孔先生和曲阜香格里拉酒店的总经理彼得·曲先生。我们一起聊了很多，说起儒家文化旅游对曲阜市内和周边发挥的作用，谈到这座城市如何在一定程度上因其文化历史取得现在的繁荣。当时去天津的还有曲阜香格里拉酒店的两位掌勺大厨，他们是做孔府菜的高手，现场就帮着准备了几道菜品，展现来自曲阜的饮食文化。曲阜的孔府菜是非常有名的，该菜系以山东菜的烹饪方式为基础，带有皇家风范，又有点儿华南淮扬菜的味道。

想要对中国历史有些了解，认识孔子这个人是很有帮助的。那么，认识之旅的最佳起点莫过于中国各地关于孔子的一些庙宇和学校了吧？20世纪90年代中期，我住在一条老北京胡同里，距离雍和宫走路也就一小段路程，北京孔庙和与之相邻的国子监也在附近。那所学府在好几个朝代都是国家的教育管理中心，实行非常传统的教育体制，教学内容包含孔子学说，考试很严格，要求学生自主勤奋学习。

起初那几年我在这片地区四处游逛的时候，孔庙里常常很安静，是个让我觉得可以休息放松、静心思考的好地方。北京孔庙虽然始建于元朝时期的1302年，但建筑群整体呈深红色，体现了明朝恢宏的建筑风格。它仅次于曲阜孔庙，是中国第二大的孔子庙。如今，几个比较小的礼厅里会上一些关于中国古代文化的课，包括儒学、书法、音乐等。

我继续着旅程，去发现更多儒家文化的影响。2017年，我去了山西平遥。这座古城仍然被一圈城墙包围着，这里的孔子庙也叫文庙，从城墙上望去，我看到了文庙的斜面屋顶。早在唐朝（618—907），文庙就动工开建，是中国国内历史最悠久、保存最完好的同类古建筑之一。文庙近旁有一家古香古色的酒店，住在这里，我感到身心愉悦。

南京是我感受儒家文化元素的另一座城市。南京这个名字的字面意思是“南方之都”。在秦淮河北岸如今的夫子庙旅游景区有一个曾经人气很旺的庙宇，虽然它现在的外部结构建于19世纪，但其历史可追溯至1034年。1996年我第一次去的时候，那片地方还很清静，不过我想参观的是古代的考场小隔间。有很多故事讲到，考生被限制在这些狭窄空间，忍受着漫长的考试，努力取得最好成绩。虽说那是很久远的事了，但1992年我来中国在广东从事高等教育工作期间，目睹学生们一连好几个小时埋头学习。如今，在中国各地的现代书店里，这样的情景也屡见不鲜。

我一直认为，一座城市的面貌是由住在其中的人决定的，天津当然也是如此。最近我非常喜欢逛天津的孔庙。它是天津最古老的建筑之一，也是天津最大的传统建筑，从明朝（1368—1644）至今基本保存完好。天津孔庙设计得几乎像宫殿一般，有装饰拱门，有金鱼水池，还有宗庙祠堂，学子们在这些祠堂里祈求自己学业有成。

从天津孔庙沿海河走不远就是香格里拉酒店。我觉得最近在那儿举办的孔子题材文化演出颇有启发意义。看着演员们表演种种礼仪，我不禁再度思考中国这个国家，不禁想，无论我们在这里待多久，总能发现新的东西。有很多东西需要重新审视，方能慢慢拼成一幅我心中的中国大图景，其中就包括让人着迷的儒家传统文化。

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