The Temple of Literature in Dezhou, dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty’s Qilian year four, is the largest and best-preserved Confucian temple complex in the Lu North region. The brick-and-tile ancient buildings are arranged harmoniously, with the Lingxing Gate’s relief dragon and phoenix decorations still vividly alive after eight hundred years, and the Danbie stone steps in front of the Da Cheng Hall are inscribed with the characters “Wan Shi Shi Biao” (Eternal Teacher), their inscriptions strong and sharp.
