Qufu Private Tour of Confucius Temple plus Kong's Family Mansion and Cemetery by Public Transportati

Shandong, China

The city of Qufu contains many historic palaces, temples and tombs related to the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Enjoy a wonderful day exploring the peaceful Temple of Confucius, the Kong Family Mansion and Cemetery, all listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994

Meet your guide at the lobby of your hotel in Qufu city centre to start this tour in this city known as the hometown of Confucius.

First you will visit the Confucius Temple, or in Chinese Kong Miao. The origins of the temple date back to the 5th Century B.C., as it was built shortly after Confucius’ death. In 478 B.C., Duke Ai built a temple honoring Confucius, who, at the time, was still largely unknown outside the province. By the 2nd Century B.C., the fame of Confucius had spread and the Han Emperor Wu began offering sacrifices at this site in 205 B.C. The temple was expanded but subsequent generations of rulers, and for the next thousand years, untold numbers of buildings were built and torn down in many rounds of rebuilding.

 

After your visit to the temple, you will enjoy a traditional Chinese cuisine lunch. Next you will visit the Confucius’ Family Mansion. This is where both Confucius and his descendants allegedly lived for over 2,500 years. The yard boasts 466 rooms and myriad courtyards, most of which are off-limits to tourists, but there are enough open to give you a general idea of the grandeur of the place.

 

Then you will have a nice 30 minutes walk to reach the Cemetery of Confucius, which is where the Confucious (Kong in Chinese) clan is all buried, as well as some of Confucius’ disciples. Construction on this cemetery was begun in 1331, but in total there have been 13 different renovations and extensions. The oldest graves found here date back to the Zhou Dynasty.

 

After this last visit, we will take you back to your hotel in Qufu city centre. If you wish to be dropped at the Qufu train station, your guide will help you to find a taxi on your own expense.