Zhenhai Confucian Temple, Confucian temple in Zhenhai, Ningbo, China

The Zhenhai Confucian Temple, also called the Zhenhai Academy, occupies much of the present Zhenhai Middle School in Zhaobaoshan Subdistrict. Its surviving structures include the Inkstone Pool, the semicircular Pan Pool with its stone balustrade, the Dacheng Gate and the Dacheng Hall, a 17-metre-high double-eaved building whose columns and beams were replaced with reinforced concrete in 1937.

The sanctuary originated as an educational center during imperial times and served scholars preparing for rigorous examinations to secure positions in imperial government. This role established it as a key institution for selecting and developing administrative officials across many generations.

The temple's name links it to Zhenhai's old county school, which trained candidates for the imperial examinations until the exams were abolished in 1906. The Wen Chang shrine, later rebuilt as Ziyin Pavilion, once housed a fire-attack bureau where Lin Zexu improved cannon during the Opium War. Its plaque was written by calligrapher Sha Menghai.

The sanctuary is accessible by local transportation throughout Zhejiang province, with visits available for those wishing to explore its spaces. Wearing respectful clothing and following on-site guidance helps visitors move through the courtyards and halls with proper appreciation.

The Dacheng Hall's columns and beams were replaced with reinforced concrete in 1937, funded by local residents, so the 1749 hall has a 20th-century frame. The Pan Pond in front of it is where Imperial Commissioner Yuqian drowned himself on 10 October 1841 as Zhenhai fell in the First Opium War.