Dun-yuan Sacred Temple

While the name 'Dun-yuan Sacred Temple' might be unfamiliar, it becomes more recognizable to most if referred to as the 'Guiren Confucius Temple.' This is the only temple dedicated to Confucius within the former Tainan County area, and it gets its name from the Dun-yuan Society. The Dun-yuan Society was a national studies association formed by scholars from Tainan County's Xinfeng District in 1883. It wasn't until 1927 that members, poets, and local gentry jointly raised funds to construct the temple and cast a bronze statue of Confucius for worship. It is a privately owned Confucius temple, not government-built. The temple is a classical 'swallowtail' style building, featuring many towering old longan trees. Due to its suburban location, there aren't many visitors on weekdays, making it quite serene – an excellent place to quietly connect with the Great Sage and Teacher (Confucius). To this day, the five district offices within Xinfeng District (Longqi, Guanmiao, Guiren, Rende, Yongkang) take turns hosting the grand Confucius worship ceremony annually on his birthday. The fact that it is a privately owned temple, yet the government presides over the ceremonies, has become a major unique feature of the Dun-yuan Sacred Temple.