Statue of Confucius (fromGreat IsConfucius,P203)

Panorama (fromGreat ConfuciusP201)

Ashikaga School is the oldest Confucian temple in Japan, known as the oldest comprehensive university in Japan. The founding date is unknown, and there are many opinionsabout itscreation.In the early Kamakura period, thesecond generation of Yoshikan family usedit as a family school, so itismost crediblethatthe schoolstartedaround that period. Afterwards, Catholic missionary Francisco introduced the school overseas as Sakto University, one of the most famous universities in Japan, and it flourished as a center of medieval learning.First rebuilt in 1439,when it wasanaritechture facing south, with the templeon the eastwingand theshoolonthe west wing.However, the original school buildings were destroyed and most of the existing buildings were rebuilt. The Confucius Temple is a relic of the eighth year of Kuan Wen (1668), with RuDeGate, the Xingtan Gate and the Confucius Hall. At present, the sacrificial activities are held on November 23 every year, withthe mayor asthe chiefpriest.

The current Ashikaga School was built in 1990, with the temple on the left and school on the right,and the front of the hall is dedicated to place the wooden carved sitting statueof Confucius, which was completed in the fourth year of Tian Wen(1535), and is the oldest of itskindin Japan. On the left areZisi and Mencius, and on the right are Yan Zi and Zeng Zi, all of which are wooden statues. In the past, students would gather here every special festival to hold a solemnConfucius Memorial Ceremony. Today, Japanese scholarsinvarious researchfields often hold academic lectures in thisplace, teaching Confucian classics such as the Analects of Confucius, which addsinfinitenostalgiccharmto the ancient courtyard.

The school lasted until the fifth year of the Meiji period (1872), when it ended with the comprehensive westernization of Japanese education. The historical siteremainsand is a touristspot as well-known as Mount Fuji in East Japan.