Things to do in Qūfù
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Confucius Mansions
Adjacent to the Confucius Temple are the Confucius Mansions, a maze of 450 halls, rooms, buildings and side passages originally dating from the 16th century.
The mansions were the most sumptuous aristocratic lodgings in China, indicative of the Kong family's former power. From the Han to the Qing dynasties, the descendants of Confucius were ennobled and granted privileges by the emperors. They lived like kings themselves, with 180-course meals, servants and consorts.
Qūfù grew around the Confucius Mansions and was an autonomous estate administered by the Kongs, who had powers of taxation and execution. Emperors could drop in to visit; the Ceremonial Gate near the south entr…
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Confucius Forest
Around 2km north of town on Lindao Lu is the peaceful Confucius Forest, the largest artificial park and best-preserved cemetery in China.
The pine and cypress forest of over 100,000 trees covers 200 hectares and is bounded by a wall 10km long. Confucius and his descendants have been buried here over the past 2000 years, a tradition that continues today. In summer, wild flowers add a burst of colour amid the sea of green grass which threatens to envelop the haphazard arrangement of tombs and burial mounds.
Flanking the approach to the Tomb of Confucius (孔子墓; Kǒngzǐ Mù) are pairs of stone panthers, griffins and larger-than-life guardians. The tomb itself is a simple grass mou…
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Night Market
Wumaci Jie turns into a huge night market in the evenings. Look out for sellers of jiānbǐng guǒzi (煎饼裹子), a steaming crepe-like parcel of egg, vegetables and chilli sauce.
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Xinhua Bookstore
Sells a range of books at affordable prices. Located opposite the southeast corner of Drum Tower.
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Confucius Temple
China's largest imperial building complex after the Forbidden City, the temple actually started out as a simple memorial hall 2500 years ago, gradually mushrooming into today's compound, which is one-fifth the size of the Qūfù town centre. Like shrines to Confucius everywhere, it has an almost museumlike quality, with none of the worshippers or incense-burning rituals that animate religious temples. There is also little in the way of imagery, and the principal disciples and thinkers of Confucian thought are only paid tribute to with simple tablets, in the wings of the main courtyards. It also seems strange that emperors seem to get more mention here than the actual sage h…
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Yán Temple
A recent makeover is responsible for the five-fold (!) admission increase. The tranquil and little-visited Yán Temple northeast of the Confucius Mansions opens to a large grassy courtyard with some vast stele pavilions sheltering dirty stelae and antediluvian bìxì. The main hall, Fùshèng Hall (复圣殿; Fùshèng Diàn), is 17.5m high, with a hip and gable roof, and a magnificent ceiling decorated with the motif of a dragon head. Outside the hall are four magnificently carved pillars with coiling dragon designs and a further set of 18 octagonal pillars engraved with gorgeous dragon and floral patterns. The architecture is strikingly similar to that of the Confucius Temple.…
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Mausoleum of Shao Hao
Mausoleum of Shao, one of the five legendary emperors of Chinese antiquity, Shao Hao's pyramidal Song dynasty tomb, 4km northeast of Qūfù, is constructed from huge stone blocks, 25m wide at the base and 6m high, topped with a small temple. Today the temple is deserted, but the atmosphere is serene. Bus 2 from the bus station will drop you 350m south of the tomb, or take a taxi or pedicab.
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Post Hotel Restaurant
Equipped with an English menu, this clean restaurant has pricey tourist items, such as Kong Family Beancurd, but go instead for the much better-value mápó dòufu (麻婆豆腐) or jiǎozi (饺子)- zhūròu (猪肉; pork) and yángròu (羊肉; lamb).
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Tomb of Confucius
Flanking the approach to the Tomb of Confucius are pairs of stone panthers, griffins and larger-than-life guardians. The Confucian barrow is a simple grass mound enclosed by a low wall and faced with a Ming dynasty stele. The sage's sons are buried nearby and scattered through the forest are dozens of temples and pavilions. Small minibuses offer tours.
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CBC
The local variant of KFC is CBC , adjacent to a useful branch of Liánhuá, a well-stocked supermarket.
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Yù Shū Fáng
With private 2nd-floor rooms overlooking the Confucius Mansions, this is a fantastic place to take a breather after having successfully navigated several kilometres of courtyards. Recharge with some divine oolong tea (铁观音; tiě guānyīn) – cup (杯) from Y10, pot (壶) from Y30; or splash out for a banquet meal where nine (!) Kong family dishes are served in quick succession. No English spoken; enter by the door staffed by qipao-clad ladies beside the 1st-floor furniture store (the owner is a woodcarver).
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