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Historic city · Cultural centre · Shandong

Qufu

曲阜 (Qūfù)

Home town of Confucius and capital of the state of Lu

Qufu is a county-level city in south-western Shandong and the home town of Confucius. Its Temple of Confucius, the Kong Family Mansion of his descendants and the Cemetery of Confucius together form a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it was the capital of the Zhou-dynasty state of Lu.

ProvinceShandong

Key facts

Province
Shandong
Administrative level
County-level city under Jining
Area
about 815 km²[1]
Birth of Confucius
551 BCE (traditional)
UNESCO World Heritage
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion (1994)[2]

Overview

Qufu is a small walled city on the plain south of Mount Tai. Almost everything in its centre relates to Confucius: the temple complex, which grew from his house into one of the largest classical building ensembles in China; the mansion where the senior line of his descendants lived and governed; and the vast walled cemetery north of the city where Confucius and generations of the Kong family are buried.

The Kong family genealogy, traced over some eighty generations, and the Confucian ritual observed in the temple make Qufu a centre of Confucian study and a place of pilgrimage and school visits.

Names and nicknames

  • 圣城 (Shèngchéng)

    “the Sage's city”

    From Confucius, the “Sage” (圣人) of Chinese tradition.

  • 东方圣城 (Dōngfāng Shèngchéng)

    “Holy City of the East”, a name used in promoting the city's heritage.

History

Qufu was the capital of Lu from the early Zhou until 249 BCE. Confucius was born nearby in 551 BCE and taught here; a year after his death in 479 BCE his house was turned into a temple. Emperors from the Han onwards honoured him with sacrifices and titles, and from 1055 the head of the family bore the hereditary title Duke Yansheng. The temple was enlarged repeatedly; its present form is largely Ming and Qing. The sites were damaged in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution and have since been restored.

  1. c. 11th century BCE–249 BCE

    Capital of the state of Lu

    Remains of the Lu city walls lie beneath and around the present town.

  2. 551 BCE

    Birth of Confucius

    Born at Mount Ni south-east of Qufu, according to tradition.

  3. 478 BCE

    Temple of Confucius founded

    Duke Ai of Lu converted Confucius's house into a temple, the origin of the present complex.

  4. 195 BCE

    First imperial sacrifice

    Liu Bang, founder of the Han, offered a sacrifice at Confucius's tomb.

  5. 1055

    Duke Yansheng title created

    The Song court gave the senior descendant of Confucius the hereditary title he and his successors held until 1935.

  6. 1966

    Cultural Revolution damage

    Red Guards defaced the temple and dug up graves in the cemetery, including those of the recent dukes.

  7. 1994

    UNESCO World Heritage

    The temple, cemetery and mansion were inscribed.

Landmarks

  1. Temple or shrine

    Temple of Confucius

    孔庙 (Kǒng Miào)

    Complex of courtyards, stele pavilions and the Dacheng Hall with its carved dragon columns.

  2. Historic site

    Kong Family Mansion

    孔府 (Kǒng Fǔ)

    Residence and offices of the Dukes Yansheng, with living quarters, halls and a garden.

  3. Historic site

    Cemetery of Confucius

    孔林 (Kǒng Lín)

    Walled forest cemetery north of the city with the tomb of Confucius and some 100,000 Kong family graves.

  4. Temple or shrine

    Temple of Yan Hui

    颜庙 (Yán Miào)

    Temple to Confucius's favourite disciple.

  5. Historic site

    Mount Ni

    尼山 (Ní Shān)

    Hill south-east of the city linked with Confucius's birth, with a temple and a modern Confucian centre.

Neighbourhoods

  • Ming walled city

    明故城 (Míng gùchéng)

    The compact walled centre built around the temple in the sixteenth century.

Food

  • Confucius mansion cuisine

    孔府菜 (Kǒngfǔ cài)

    Ceremonial dishes developed in the Kong household for banquets and imperial visits.

  • Jianbing

    煎饼 (jiānbing)

    Thin grain pancakes, the staple of the region.

Culture

Confucian ritual is Qufu's cultural core. A memorial ceremony with ancient-style music and dance is held at the temple on 28 September, the traditional birthday of Confucius, and the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations meets near his birthplace. Schools and families come to see the temple and to pray for success in examinations.

学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？

Xué ér shí xí zhī, bú yì yuè hū? Yǒu péng zì yuǎnfāng lái, bú yì lè hū?

“Is it not a pleasure to learn and to practise what one has learned? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?”

— Confucius, The Analects (论语), 1.1

Getting around

  • Qufu East station is on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line; buses and taxis link it with the walled city.
  • The temple, mansion and walled centre are walkable; the cemetery lies just north of the city.

Day trips

  • Temple of Mencius, Zoucheng

    邹城孟庙 (Zōuchéng Mèng Miào)

    Temple and family mansion of Mencius in his home town just south of Qufu.

  • Mount Tai

    泰山 (Tài Shān)

    The sacred mountain at Tai'an, to the north.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

  1. Jining Municipal People's Government — Jining Municipal People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
  2. Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu — UNESCO World Heritage Centre (retrieved 27 September 2026)
  3. Qufu — Encyclopaedia Britannica (retrieved 27 September 2026)

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