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China Destination Guide - Qufu 曲阜

"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" asked Confucious, and indeed it is to the people of this small town. Qufu is the ledgendary birth place of the great sage who's teachings continue to influence the Chinese people to this day. Recognised as a World Heritage Site, the walled town of Qufu is a huge attraction and it is unlikely that you will get to contemplate his wisdom in much peace these days but despite this it is well worth taking the time to visit.

➤ TCTC Tip: Avoid visiting Qufu on Chinese national holidays as it gets very busy!

What there is to see at Qufu:

The Confucius Mansions where the houses of the important Kong family and date back to the 16th Century during the Qing Dynasty. The huge maze of rooms is testament to the wealth and privilage of the family.
The Confucius Temple is a huge complex of exceptional quality. It is said that the craftsmen carved the 10 dragon-coiled columns so expertly that they had to be covered with red silk when Emperor Qianlong visited in case he felt that the Forbidden City's Hall of Supreme Harmony paled in comparison.
The Confucius forest contains an estimated 100,000 cyprus trees and is the largest and best preserved cemetary in China.

Best time to visit Qufu

April and May as well as September and October are the best months but there is nothing to stop visitors coming year round with the winter months being cold but experiencing less visitors.

Best reason to visit Qufu

To soak up some ancient wisdom, especially if you can find some time for contemplation out of season.

Our last word on Qufu

Understanding what makes this destination so important to Chinese people will take you that little bit further along the road of understanding how the Middle Kingdom ticks!