The Three Confucian Sites Scenic Area is located in Qufu City, Jining City, Shandong Province. It is a World Cultural Heritage and a national 5A-level tourist attraction, consisting of the Confucian Temple, Confucian Mansion, and Confucian Cemetery. It is the core venue for commemorating Confucius and inheriting Confucian culture in successive dynasties in China. The scenic area is renowned at home and abroad for its profound accumulation of Confucian culture, long historical inheritance, grand architectural scale, and rich collection of cultural relics. Among them, the Confucian Temple covers an area of about 327.5 mu (approximately 218,000 square meters) with a construction area of about 16,000 square meters, including 466 halls, chambers, altars, and pavilions, and 54 gate towers; the Confucian Mansion covers an area of about 240 mu (approximately 160,000 square meters) with a construction area of about 12,000 square meters, containing 463 various buildings; the Confucian Cemetery covers an area of about 3,000 mu (approximately 2,000,000 square meters), being the largest and best-preserved family cemetery in China. The three parts have a complete layout and distinct characteristics, together forming a Confucian cultural holy land integrating sacrifice, residence, and burial.
History and Culture
The history of the Three Confucian Sites Scenic Area can be traced back to 478 BC, the second year after Confucius' death, when Duke Ai of Lu converted Confucius' former residence into a temple, initiating the construction history of the Confucian Temple. Over the next more than 2,000 years, successive dynasties continuously expanded and renovated the Confucian Temple, making it the largest existing ancient architectural complex in China second only to the Forbidden City. It is known as one of the "Three Major Ancient Architectural Complexes in China" together with the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Chengde Mountain Resort.
The Confucian Mansion, as the residence of Confucius' direct eldest grandson, originated in the Song Dynasty and was improved through the Ming and Qing dynasties, forming an architectural pattern of "front office and back residence". It is the largest and best-preserved feudal noble manor in China, known as "the First Family Under Heaven". Its architectural layout and furnishings fully reflect Confucian ethical codes and patriarchal systems.
The Confucian Cemetery, also known as "the Sacred Forest", is the exclusive cemetery of Confucius and his family. Since Confucius was buried here, his descendants have mostly been buried here, with a history of more than 2,500 years to date. It has over 100,000 tombs and more than 4,000 steles, being the longest-lasting family cemetery in the world, known as the "Oriental Pyramid". In 1994, the Three Confucian Sites Scenic Area was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming a common cultural wealth of all mankind. The large number of cultural relics, steles, and ancient books preserved here provide precious material for studying ancient Chinese politics, culture, art, and funeral systems.
Main Attractions
Confucian Temple
The Confucian Temple is a temple dedicated to Confucius, renowned for being "the oldest and best-preserved in terms of construction history". Its core structure, the Dacheng Hall, stands 24.8 meters high, 45.69 meters wide, and 24.85 meters deep. It ranks among China's three great ancient halls (alongside the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City and the Hall of Heavenly Blessing in the Dai Temple). Inside the hall, a statue of Confucius is enshrined, surrounded by statues of the Twelve Philosophers. The ten dragon pillars on the terrace in front of the hall are particularly famous. Each, 6 meters tall, is carved from a single massive stone, with vivid dragon patterns that represent the pinnacle of Ming and Qing dynasty sculpture art. The temple also houses a large number of steles from successive dynasties, including various calligraphy styles such as clerical script, regular script, and running script dating back to the Han Dynasty. Among these, the "Han-Wei steles" and the "Thirteen Classics stone inscriptions" (also known as the "Qianlong Stone Classics") are especially precious, making the temple a treasure trove of Chinese calligraphy. Additionally, the Kuiwen Pavilion (a library, 23.35 meters high) and the Apricot Altar (said to be the place where Confucius gave lectures) are also important attractions within the Confucian Temple.
Confucian Mansion
The Confucian Mansion, also known as "the Mansion of the Yansheng Duke", is the residence where Confucius' direct eldest descendants have lived for generations. Its architectural layout is divided into three routes: east, middle, and west. The middle route is the main building, with government offices in the front, including three main halls and six chambers for handling official affairs; the back is the inner residence, with the Front Upper Room, Front Hall Building, Rear Hall Building, etc., which are family living places. The west route is the guest hall yard and study, and the east route is the family temple and workshops, etc. The mansion preserves a large number of cultural relics such as furniture, costumes, and documents from the Ming and Qing dynasties, among which the "Ten Ritual Vessels of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties" (bronze ritual vessels) and "Imperially Granted Books" are particularly precious. The plaque "the First Family Under Heaven" at the inner residence gate of the Confucian Mansion was inscribed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, highlighting the special status of the Confucian Mansion. The "Greed-Warning Picture" mural in the mansion (depicting a legendary monster that can devour gold and silver treasures but is still not satisfied) reflects the Confucian thought of "integrity".
Confucian Cemetery
The Confucian Cemetery, also known as "the Sacred Forest", is the cemetery of Confucius and his family, surrounded by walls with a circumference of 7 kilometers. Confucius' tomb is located in the middle of the Confucian Cemetery, 6.2 meters high and 18 meters in diameter. In front of the tomb, there is a stele inscribed with "Tomb of the Great Sage and Perfect Teacher, King Wenxuan", erected in the Ming Dynasty. To the east of the tomb is the tomb of his son Kong Li, and to the south is the tomb of his grandson Kong Ji, forming a layout of "carrying the son and holding the grandson". The Confucian Cemetery is full of ancient trees, with more than 100,000 trees of various types, among which hundreds are ancient trees over 1,000 years old, making it one of the largest artificial gardens in China. In addition to the tombs of Confucius and his descendants, there are many steles in the forest, such as the "Stele of the Catalpa Planted by Zigong" (commemorating the tree planted by Confucius' disciple Zigong) and steles of emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offering sacrifices to Confucius. There are also stone statues of people and animals, which have high historical and artistic value.
Food
Confucian Mansion Banquet
The Confucian Mansion Banquet is a general term for banquets held in the Yansheng Duke's Mansion in successive dynasties. It is a famous official cuisine outside the four major cuisines in China, known for "complete etiquette, exquisite dishes, and rich cultural connotations". The Confucian Mansion Banquet is divided into various types such as birthday banquets, wedding banquets, and family banquets, emphasizing "food is not tired of being refined, and meat is not tired of being minced". It not only retains the luxury of ancient court cuisine but also incorporates folk flavors. Representative dishes include "Poetry and Rites Ginkgo" (made from the fruits of the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree in the Confucian Mansion), "Bringing the Son to Court" (implying that the family has been officials for generations), and "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea to Celebrate Arhat" (composed of eight side dishes around one main dish, symbolizing auspiciousness). The Confucian Mansion Banquet is not only a feast of food but also reflects the etiquette norms in Confucian culture. A simplified version of the Confucian Mansion Banquet can be experienced at the Xiyuan Restaurant in the Confucian Mansion within the scenic area.
Surrounding Food
Qufu Smoked Tofu
Qufu Smoked Tofu is a local specialty snack with a history of more than 300 years. It is made of local hard tofu, marinated, and then smoked with pine needles, with a golden color and a unique aroma. It can be eaten cold, stir-fried, or in soup. Among them, "Stir-Fried Smoked Tofu with Chili" and "Smoked Tofu Hot Pot" are the most common. It can be found everywhere in the snack streets in Qufu urban area (such as Wuma Temple Street), with affordable prices, and is a must-try food to experience local flavors.
Qufu Pancake
Qufu Pancake is different from pancakes in other parts of Shandong. It is made of millet and corn, hand-made, as thin as paper, and crispy in taste. It can be rolled with green onions, pickles, or added with eggs, ham, etc. Among them, "Traditional Sweet Sauce Rolled Pancake" is the most distinctive. It can be bought at vendors around the Confucian Temple and Confucian Mansion, with a unit price of about 5-8 yuan, easy to carry, and is a popular convenient snack among tourists.
Tickets
Combined ticket: 140 yuan per person (including the Confucian Temple, Confucian Mansion, and Confucian Cemetery).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "曲阜三孔景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are adjusted according to the season: from March 1 to October 31 (peak season), the opening hours are 8:00-17:30 (admission stops at 17:00); from November 1 to February 28 (29) of the following year (off-season), the opening hours are 8:30-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30). On New Year's Eve, the Confucian Temple and Confucian Mansion are open until 12:00, and the Confucian Cemetery is closed; from the first to the third day of the first lunar month, the opening hours are 8:30-16:00. It is recommended that tourists confirm the latest opening hours through official channels before traveling.
Tour Route
It is recommended to visit the Three Confucian Sites Scenic Area in two days: on the first day, visit the Confucian Temple in the morning, enter from the Wanren Palace Wall (main gate), and visit core buildings such as the Lingxing Gate, Shengshi Gate, Kuiwen Pavilion, and Dacheng Hall in turn, focusing on appreciating the dragon pillars of the Dacheng Hall and steles of successive dynasties, which takes about 3 hours; have lunch in Qufu urban area at noon, tasting Qufu smoked tofu, pancakes, and other snacks. In the afternoon, go to the Confucian Mansion, enter from the Queli Gate on the east side of the Confucian Temple, visit the government offices, inner residence, garden, etc., to understand the "front office and back residence" layout of the Confucian Mansion, which takes about 2 hours. On the second day, visit the Confucian Cemetery in the morning, take the scenic area sightseeing bus (20 yuan per person for a one-way trip, 30 yuan per person for a round trip) to the Confucius' tomb area, visit Confucius' tomb, Kong Li's tomb, and Kong Ji's tomb, walk in the ancient forest, and enjoy the steles and ancient trees, which takes about 2-3 hours. If time is tight, it can be compressed into one day: Confucian Temple (2.5 hours) + Confucian Mansion (1.5 hours) in the morning, and Confucian Cemetery (2 hours) in the afternoon, with a total of about 6 hours.
Transportation
- Bus: In Qufu City, you can take buses No. 1, 2, 5, K01, etc., to "Confucian Temple South Gate" Station or "Confucian Mansion" Station, and walk to reach; from Qufu East Station (high-speed rail station), you can take K01 bus (fare 5 yuan) directly to the Confucian Temple, with a journey of about 40 minutes; from Qufu Bus Station, you can take bus No. 1 (fare 1 yuan) to the Confucian Temple, with a journey of about 15 minutes.
- Self-driving: Starting from Jinan, take the Beijing-Taipei Expressway (G3) to Qufu Exit, get off the highway, go straight west along Yingbin Street for about 3 kilometers to reach the Confucian Temple Parking Lot. The parking lot charging standard is 5 yuan per hour for small cars and 10 yuan per hour for large cars.
- Taxi/Online Car-hailing: Taking a taxi from Qufu East Station to the Confucian Temple costs about 30 yuan, with a journey of 20 minutes; taking a taxi from Qufu urban area to the Confucian Temple has a starting fare of 6 yuan (within 3 kilometers), and 1.5 yuan per kilometer beyond that.
Must-visit Attractions
- Dacheng Hall of the Confucian Temple: 24.8 meters high, 45.69 meters wide, and 24.85 meters deep, it is one of the three major ancient halls in China. The ten dragon pillars in front of the hall represent the peak of Ming and Qing sculpture art. The hall houses a statue of Confucius and is the core building of the Confucian Temple.
- Front Hall Building of the Confucian Mansion: The core building of the inner residence of the Confucian Mansion, it is a two-story pavilion, once the residence of the Yansheng Duke and his wife. The building preserves furniture, costumes, and other cultural relics from the Ming and Qing dynasties, reflecting the living scenes of ancient nobles, and the plaque "the First Family Under Heaven" is hung here.
- Confucius' Tomb: Located in the middle of the Confucian Cemetery, 6.2 meters high and 18 meters in diameter, the stele "Tomb of the Great Sage and Perfect Teacher, King Wenxuan" in front of the tomb was erected in the Ming Dynasty. It is surrounded by the tombs of his son Kong Li and grandson Kong Ji, forming a unique layout of "carrying the son and holding the grandson", and is the core landscape of the Confucian Cemetery.
Tour Suggestions
- The best season to visit is from April to May or September to October, when the climate is mild, there is less precipitation, which is suitable for outdoor activities, and you can avoid the high temperature in summer and severe cold in winter.
- The scenic area has dense buildings and profound historical culture. It is recommended to rent an electronic guide (20 yuan per unit for the Confucian Temple and Confucian Mansion, 10 yuan per unit for the Confucian Cemetery) or hire an interpreter (100-200 yuan per time) to gain an in-depth understanding of the historical stories behind the attractions.
- The Confucian Cemetery is large, and it takes about 3 hours to walk the whole way. Those with insufficient physical strength can take the scenic area sightseeing bus to save time and energy.
- If you want to experience the Confucian Mansion Banquet, it is recommended to make a reservation at the Xiyuan Restaurant of the Confucian Mansion 1-2 days in advance to avoid no seats on the day; for tasting snacks, you can go to Wuma Temple Street and choose time-honored stores (such as "Smoked Tofu Family").
- If time permits, you can visit other Confucian cultural attractions in Qufu (such as the Zhougong Temple and Yan Temple) together. The Yan Temple is about 1 kilometer away from the Confucian Temple, with a ticket of 10 yuan per person, allowing you to further feel the cultural atmosphere of "the Hometown of Sages".
Matters Needing Attention
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Touching or carving cultural relics and steles is prohibited. Taking photos is prohibited in areas such as the Dacheng Hall of the Confucian Temple and the inner residence of the Confucian Mansion.
- Security checks are required to enter the Confucian Temple and Confucian Mansion. Carrying flammable, explosive, controlled knives, and other dangerous goods is prohibited. Pets (except guide dogs) are not allowed to enter.
- The Confucian Cemetery is a cemetery. When visiting, you need to keep quiet, not make noise or play, and not step on tombstones or pick plants at will.
- Commodities in the scenic area are relatively expensive. You can buy drinking water, snacks, etc., in Qufu urban area, and the prices on Wuma Temple Street are more affordable.
- There are many tourists during holidays (such as the Spring Festival, National Day, and Confucius Cultural Festival). It is recommended to arrive at the scenic area 1 hour in advance to enter during off-peak hours. The Confucius Memorial Ceremony may be held during the Confucius Cultural Festival (September 28, the birthday of Confucius), so you need to check the event arrangements in advance.