Confucius Temple in Rehe, one of three China's biggest Confucius temples in Hebei province will have a hotel and restaurant built in its grounds, according to the local residents, Chinanews.com reported on Thursday.

After four years of restoration, the Confucius Temple in Rehe has Dacheng Hall, a half-round pond and a stone-tablet pavilion as well as two yards on both sides of the hall, with the saints' pictures hanging in and stories about learning showed in the temple.

An official with Confucius Temple in Rehe said the east and west yards are being decorated now with work on the restaurant and hotel starting next year.

Yin Zhong, 86, who has attended the ceremony of sacrifice for Confucius, said that the east yard of the temple should be temple area and the west yard should be area for study according to the construction traditions of the Confucius temple.

Yin said that the West yard should be the supreme administrative department of education of Chengde in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the examiners would study and be trained here before the imperial examinations every year and the East yard should be a subsidiary of the Confucius temple.

Zhou Shaohua, the head of the Management Bureau of Confucius Temple in Rehe, said for few travelers, the temple has little income and can't afford staff salaries, so they decided to transform the East yard and the West yard into restaurant and hotel with the permit of Summer Resort and Surrounding Temples Management Committee of Chengde. The restaurant and hotel is expected to be in operation by May next year, Zhou said.

Confucius Temple in Rehe was first built in 1776 and finished in 1779 when the Emperor Qianlong attended the completion ceremony. The temple was destroyed in 1960s and rebuilt in 2007. It was reopened on June 3 this year.