孔府门里对话碑

The Dialogue Tablet in the Confucian Mansion

在曲阜孔府二门内东侧，有一块“对话碑”，虽历时600多年，至今仍保存完好，字迹依然清晰可见。因碑上镌刻着明太祖朱元璋与孔子五十五世孙袭封衍圣公孔克坚和五十六世孙袭封衍圣公孔希学的对话内容，所以称为“朱元璋与孔克坚、孔希学的对话礞”，俗称“孔府门里对话碑”。

To the east of the inner area of the second gate of the Confucian Mansion in Qufu, there is a 'Dialogue Tablet,' which still remains in very good condition despite of being in existence for more than 600 years. On the tabletis a record of a dialogue between Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and Kong Kejian, the 55th lineal grandson of Confucius, and Kong Xixue, the 56th lineal grandson of Confucius, so the tablet is called the 'Dialogue Tablet of Zhu Yuanzhang and Kong Kejian and Kong Xixue,' in short, 'Dialogue Tablet in the Confucian Mansion.'As far as the dialogue between Zhu Yuanzhang and Kong Kejian is concerned, there is a complicated story. In May 1368, soon after the Northern Expeditionary Army of the Ming Dynasty occupied Jining, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Xu Da, the commander of the Northern Expeditionary Army to meet up with Kong Kejian, the 55th lineal grandson of Confucius, and Kong Xixue his son. Zhu Yuanzhang not only expressed his admiration for Confucius and Confucianism, but also showed the validation and justification of the Ming Dynasty. Emotionalized by Zhu Yuanzhang's invitation, on the second day, Kong Kejian and his son went to Beijing to pay a visit to Zhu Yuanzhang, thus the dialogue on the tablet took place.