Qufu, reputed as the Oriental Jerusalem, is known to all for its special relationship with the saint, Confucius. In 551 BC, Confucius was born in Changping County, Zouyi of the Lu Kingdom (present southeast area in Qufu City). After Confucius died, he was buried in the graveyard about 1.1 km (0.68 miles) north of Qufu City. His descendants were all buried here in the following 2,500 years, making it the largest family graveyard in the world. The family mansion in which Confucius' direct descendants lived is also the largest, oldest and best-preserved family mansion in China. In order to commemorate him, the Confucius Temple was built after he died, which is the largest of over 2,000 Confucius Temples in the world.
Physical Features: The eastern, northern and southern borders of the Qufu are covered with mountains, whilst the middle and western area are rich plains.
Area: 895.93 sq km (345.92 sq mi)
Zip Code: 272100
Area Code: 0537
Nationalities: Han, Hui, Manchu, Mongolian, Miao, Chaoxian, Zhuang, Russian
Products: Wheat, corn, broomcorn, millet, green bean, sweet potato, soybean, rice, cotton, peanut, sesame, apple, peach, apricot
Climate
Qufu has a warm temperate monsoon continental climate with four distinct seasons. The average annual temperature is 13.6 °C (56.5 °F). July is the hottest month and has an average temperature of 27.4 °C (81.3 °F), while January is the coldest month and its temperature averages 1.4 °C (34.5 °F). The rainy season occurs between June and September.
Attractions
As the hometown of Confucius, Qufu boasts over 600 historical sites and cultural relics, and many of them are about Confucius, inculding three World Cultural Heritage sites Confucius Temple, Kong Family Mansion, Cemetery of Confucius. There are also Confucius Six Classical Arts City, Shimenshan Scenic Area, Nishan Mountain, Confucius Culture Garden, and Yan Temple. In addition, ancient trees of hundreds years of history, stone tablets of inscriptions since the Han Dynasty (206BC - 220AD), and traditional buildings are found in Qufu City.
Transportation
Airport: There is no airport in the city. Those who wish to get to Qufu by air can fly to Jining Qufu Airport or Jinan Yaoqiao International Airport and transfer to Qufu.
Getting from Jining Qufu Airport: Take the airport shuttle bus to Jining City (get off at the Jining New Gym stop) and take bus no. 6 to the Jining North Long-distance Bus Station to take a coach to Qufu.
Getting from Jinan Yaoqiao Airport: Take the airport shuttle bus to Jinan Railway Station. Jinan Long-distance Bus Station is next to the railway station. So either buses or trains to Qufu are available.
Railway Station: Qufu Railway Station is 4 km southeast of the city center. There are regular trains from/to Beijing, Xinxiang, Zhengzhou, Rizhao, Yantai, Heze. Bus routes to the railway station: bus no. 3 (north), no. 3 (south), and no. 5.
Visitors can also get to Yanzhou Railway Station, and cross the street to get to Yanzhou Long-distance Bus Station to take the coaches to Qufu. The coaches depart every 15 minutes between 06:00 and 21:30. The travel time is half an hour and the bus fare is CNY 4.
Long-distance Bus Station: Qufu Long-distance Bus Station is located at no. 1 East Jingxuan Road, in the city center. Regular buses to other places of Shandong Province as well as Beijing and Henan are available. The buses to Jinan depart every 20 minutes between 06:00 and 21:00; the buses to Yanzhou depart every 15 minutes between 06:00 and 21:30, and the journey takes half an hour and costs CNY 4; the buses to Taishan depart every 40 minutes between 06:00 and 19:00, and the trip takes about 1.5 hours and costs CNY 15.
Buses: There are 8 bus routes in the city, and buses no. 1, 2, 5 and 6 run in the downtown area. Visitors can get to the Kong Family Mansion, Confucius Temple, Cemetery of Confucius and Yan Temple by bus no. 1, and get to Confucius Six Classical Arts City and Confucius Culture Garden, by bus no.5. In addition, 12 special tourist buses in the Qufu Long-distance Bus Station can reach most of the major attractions, such as Nishan Mountain, Shimenshan Scenic Area, and Shaohao Mausoleum.
Travel Tips
Festivals
Spring Festival in Kong Family Mansion: The holidays of the Chinese Spring Festival. Visitors can toll the morning bell, watch a traditional singing and dancing show, as well as have a taste of delicious local food.
Confucius Study and Travel Festival: Between July 10th and August 20th. There will be lectures on Confucianism and activities on traditional Chinese culture, such as calligraphy, painting, seal cutting, and martial arts.
Confucius Cultural Festival: Between late September and early October. There will be all kinds of commemorative activities in memory of Confucius, such as singing and dancing shows, cultural exhibitions, and activities about the Six Classical Arts.
Food: Kong Family Mansion Banquet, Kong Family Mansion Cake, fragrant rice, pancake, fumigating Tofu, fried bun with meat or vegetable stuffing.
Shopping: Visitors can find all kinds of souvenirs in the pedestrian only, Queli Street which is to the east of Confucius Temple. In addition, there are many shopping malls on Fuxingmen Avenue. Famous souvenirs in the city are: Kong Family Mansion Wine, Kai Wood Carving, woolen carpets, canes carved with a dragon head, Nishan Ink stone and Qufu rubbings.
During Your Trip
1. If you visit Qufu in the Summer, remember to use sun-tan lotion and take a parasol with you. In addition, we advise you wear a pair of comfortable shoes during your trip;
2. Most of the attractions are about Confucius, Confucianism as well as Chinese history and culture, so we recommend you undertake some background reading before you go, so that you will have a better understanding of the attractions.
3. There is a type of white butterfly in the Cemetery of Confucius. They will fly around visitors who wear brightly colored clothes so we suggest you can wear light-colored clothes.
