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Primary sourcePhotographApril 1860

Statue of Confucius, Canton

Felice Beato · April 1860

An 1860 photograph by Felice Beato of a seated painted statue of Confucius in a shrine in Canton.

Shows a statue made to honour Confucius, evidence of his cult and veneration in 19th-century China.

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Sepia photograph of a seated, painted statue of Confucius in a dim shrine. The figure wears an ornate embroidered robe and a tall headdress, with hands clasped at the chest, on a carved wooden throne atop a stone plinth.
Felice Beato, Statue of Confucius, Canton, April 1860. Wellcome Collection, London.

About this source

What it is

Taken in April 1860 by photographer Felice Beato, this photograph shows a seated, painted statue of Confucius inside a shrine in Canton, China. The statue is dressed in an embroidered robe and tall headdress and sits on a carved wooden throne.

Why it matters

Long after Confucius died, statues like this one were made to honour him as a sage whose teachings shaped Chinese society, government and education. This photograph is a window into how Confucius was represented and worshipped in the 19th century, showing the continuity of his cultural importance.

Look closer

  • What does the clothing and setting of the statue suggest about how Confucius was regarded?
  • Why do you think people built shrines with statues rather than simply remembering his words?
  • Can a statue like this tell us anything reliable about what Confucius actually looked like?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Confucius on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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