Foreigners from Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh and Yemen visited Zeng Zi Temple in Jiaxiang, Jining, east China's Shandong province recently to explore the charm of traditional Chinese architecture.

Located to the south of Jiaxiang county, Zeng Zi Temple is a representative of the ancient Chinese official building complex, retaining the distinctive architectural style of the Ming dynasty. The temple is also one of the most typical in the cultural holy land of Confucianism.

Covering an area of 46 mu, Zeng Zi Temple is surrounded by red walls with more than 30 main buildings including Zongsheng Palace, Sanxing Hall, and Laiwuhou Palace. The buildings here echo back and forth, symmetrical and magnificent. With numerous stone tablets and towering ancient cypress, the temple seems solemn and spectacular.

"It's like going back to ancient China. It's very cultural. There are also characters like Zeng Zi in my country," said Dai Mu from Nepal, "I like this place very much. I was deeply moved by the story of Zeng Zi and his mother," he added.

In May 2006, Zeng Zi Temple was listed as the sixth batch of national key protection units and in December it was included in the preparatory list of the Confucian sites world cultural heritage extension project.