Qufu Introduction

Qufu, also known as the "sacred city" of the East, is one of China's most famous historic cities of culture. It is the birthplace of Confucius----the famous thinker and educationist. It is also the place where Confucius gave his lectures, the place where he was buried in 479 BC, and the place where people offer sacrifices to him. Mencius, another famous thinker and educationist, and a pupil of the great sage himself, was also born in Qufu.

Qufu is located between the River Si and the River Yi in the southwest part of Shangdong Province. To the north and east of Qufu are Mount Tai and Mount Yimeng, while to the south and west are Nafu and the Great Plain of Pingye.

Qufu was the central base of the eastern tribes in ancient China and was one of the areas where Dawenkou and the Longshan culture, famed for its black pottery, were found. It was also a city of music in the Western Zhou Dynasty. Confucius was born on Mt. Ni (551 BC), grew up in Jueli and was buried near the River Si. He gave his lectures from the Xing Altar and attended office in the capital of the Lu Kingdom, Qufu itself.

Qufu is not only a city with a rich history, it is also famous for its architecture. In Qufu, there are altogether more than 412 cultural and historical relics under government protection. Among them, the Residence of Confucius, the Confucius Temple , and the Confucius Forest are the most famous. UNESCO put these sites on the list of world heritage sights in 1994.

For the more adventurous tourist, the optimum visiting period would be sometime around Confucius' birthday in late September (approximately September 28 translated from the lunar calander.) This is peak visiting period for the town and so finding hotels, either in Qufu or nearby Taishan, as well as fighting the crowds, could well be troublesome. At such times the local vendors and numerous map sellers are likely to be out in force.

Sight Overview

Of the many cultural relics in Qufu, ranging from the Cave in Mount Ni (where Confucius was born), to the Pavilion of the River (where he wrote the famous words "time flies like the river flows"), the Residence of Confucius, the Confucius Temple and the Confucius Forest are considered the most famous of all Qufu's sights.

The Residence of Confucius is the place where the descendents of Confucius (also known as the Lord of Yansheng) lived. This is a residence which at one time housed more than 70 generations and as such contains numerous treasures preserved within. Among these are tens of thousands of books and antiques. The "ten wares of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties" preserved here, are considered to be of great value. Many renovations have been made to the once simple Confucius residence, partly a result of investment from the Kong family and partly from imperial favors.

The Temple of Confucius is where sacrifices to Confucius are traditionally made. The architecture of the temple is considered a close second to the Forbidden City in Beijing and was built in imperial style.

The Confucius Forest is the tomb of Confucius and his descendants. This is a vast place, some 200 hectares, more than twice the size of Qufu town itself. There are numerous ancient trees (mostly pine and cypress), and many tombstones within the garden. The tombs of Confucius (Kongzi), and two of his descendants Kongli and Kongji, are encircled by a red wall.

Near to Qufu, the Mausoleum of Shaohao, also called the Chinese Pyramid,commemorates one of China's five legendary emperors from some 4,000 years ago. Alongside are the Residence and Temple of Mencius, the Tomb of Mencius, the Tomb of Mencius' Mother, and the six Art City and Stone carvings of some of Confucius' sayings.