Qufu, the home town of Confucius, is a city in southwest Shandong about a two-hour bus ride (135 km) to Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province. Qufu is a famous historical city in China.
With a history of more than five thousand years, Qufu is the legendary birthplace of many Chinese sages, such as Confucius and Mencius.
To memorialize these great sages, the locals built temples and cemeteries, later opened to the general public as tourist attractions. The most famous attractions are the Temple of Confucius (Kong Miao), the Cemetery of Confucius (Kong Lin) and the Kong Family Mansion (Kong Fu), together now called the Three Kongs. The Three Kongs was listed in the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1994, along with a comment that said: "The Qufu complex of monuments has retained its outstanding artistic and historic character due to the devotion of successive Chinese emperors over more than 2,000 years".
If you are interested in Chinese culture and history, or if you want to wander around the spirits and wisdom of ancient Oriental sages, Qufu is a must-visit city for you.
The best time to visit Qufu is when the Confucius Festival is held. During that period, visitors will see many celebrations. A visit to the hometown of Confucius Qufu is included in almost all featured tour packages to Shandong Province.
Weather
Qufu belongs to continental monsoon climate zone, with four distinct seasons, and plenty of rainfall and sunshine. The average annual temperature is 14 °C (57 °F), and the annual precipitation is 666 millimeters (26 inches). The hottest month is July with an average monthly temperature at 27 °C (80 °F), and the coldest month is January, with an average monthly temperature at 1 °C (34 °F).
The best time to visit Qufu is from June till October. Qufu Confucius Festival falls during late September and early October. Numerous activities and a grand ceremony will be held in memoriam of Confucius, the great ancient Chinese philosopher.
