Confucius Temple, Mansion & Cemetery​

​1. Overview​​
The ​​Three Confucius Sites​​ in Qufu, Shandong, are the world’s most sacred landmarks of Confucianism, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Together, they span 350 acres and include:

• ​​Confucius Temple​​: A grand complex of 460 halls and pavilions, second only to the Forbidden City in scale.
• ​​Confucius Mansion​​: The 480-room estate of Confucius’s direct descendants, the "Yansheng Duke" family.
• ​​Confucius Cemetery​​: A 2,500-year-old burial ground with 100,000+ tombs, including Confucius’s own.

​​2. Confucius Temple (Kong Miao)​​

• ​​History​​: Built in 478 BCE, just two years after Confucius’s death, it expanded under 12 imperial dynasties.
• ​​Architecture​​: Nine courtyards aligned on a central axis, featuring the ​​Dacheng Hall​​ with its iconic dragon-carved pillars.
• ​​Treasures​​: Houses 1,000+ steles, including Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) inscriptions, and the ​​Kuiwen Pavilion​​’s imperial book collection.

​​3. Confucius Mansion (Kong Fu)​​

• ​​Role​​: Served as the ​​Yansheng Duke’s​​ official residence and government office for 800+ years.
• ​​Layout​​: Divided into administrative halls (e.g., ​​Grand Hall​​ for ceremonies) and private quarters with Ming-Qing furniture.
• ​​Artifacts​​: Preserves 300,000+ documents, the ​​"Ten Sacrificial Bronzes"​​ (gifted by Emperor Qianlong), and Confucius family relics.

​​4. Confucius Cemetery (Kong Lin)​​

• ​​Scale​​: The world’s oldest and largest family cemetery (7km walled perimeter).
• ​​Notable Burials​​: Confucius’s tomb (marked by a Ming-era stele) and his disciple ​​Zi Gong​​’s memorial.
• ​​Ecology​​: 17,000 ancient trees, some planted during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE).

​​5. Cultural Significance​​

• ​​Rituals​​: Hosts the annual ​​Qufu Ceremonial Dance​​ and ​​Confucius Memorial Ceremony​​.
• ​​Global Influence​​: Inspired 2,000+ Confucian temples worldwide, from Seoul to San Francisco.

​​6. Visitor Information​​

• ​​Hours​​: 8:00 AM–5:30 PM (ticket office closes at 4:30 PM).
• ​​Tickets​​: ¥140 (combined pass for all three sites).
• ​​Tips​​: Join guided tours to decode symbolism (e.g., temple gate names reflect Confucian virtues).

​​7. Conservation​​
Ongoing projects include digital archiving of steles and AI monitoring of ancient structures.