▁is ▁among ▁the ▁largest ▁in ▁China , ▁it ▁covers ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ 1 6 , 0 0 0   square ▁metres ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 4 6 0 ▁rooms . ▁Because ▁the ▁last ▁major ▁red es ign ▁following ▁the ▁fire ▁in ▁ 1 4 9 9 ▁took ▁place ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁For b idden ▁City ▁in ▁the ▁M ing ▁D ynast y , ▁the ▁architecture ▁of ▁the ▁Temple ▁of ▁Conf u cius ▁res emb les ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁For b idden ▁City ▁in ▁many ▁ways . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁temple ▁consists ▁of ▁nine ▁cour ty ards ▁arranged ▁on ▁a ▁central ▁axis , ▁which ▁is ▁orient ed ▁in ▁the ▁north – s outh ▁direction ▁and ▁is ▁ 1 . 3   km ▁in ▁length . ▁The ▁first ▁three ▁cour ty ards ▁have ▁small ▁gates ▁and ▁are ▁plant ed ▁with ▁tall ▁p ine ▁trees , ▁they ▁serve ▁an ▁intro duct ory ▁function . ▁The ▁first ▁( s ou thern most ) ▁gate ▁is ▁named ▁" L ing x ing ▁Gate " ▁( <0xE6> <0xAC> <0x9E> 星 門 ) ▁after ▁a ▁star ▁in ▁the ▁Great ▁Bear ▁const ell ation , ▁the ▁name ▁suggests ▁that ▁Conf u cius ▁is ▁a ▁star ▁from ▁heaven . ▁The ▁buildings ▁in ▁the ▁remaining ▁cour ty ards ▁form ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁complex . ▁They ▁are ▁impress ive ▁structures ▁with ▁yellow ▁roof - til es ▁( other wise ▁reserved ▁for ▁the ▁em peror ) ▁and ▁red - p aint ed ▁walls , ▁they