Martyrs' shrines (China)

Martyrs' shrines or hero shrines (Chinese: 忠烈祠) are religious buildings used in Chinese hero cults. They are a kind of Ci Shrine, which is a separate building built to praise the spirit of loyalty and righteousness, and to memorialize the martyrs who died for the country. In addition to shrines dedicated to martyrs and loyal subjects, some of them are converted from other buildings, such as Shinto shrines. Since Confucianism advocates the virtues of loyalty and righteousness, the construction of the Temple not only commemorates and enshrines the martyrs who were martyred in the country, but also serves the purpose of moral education.