The temple grounds, family mansion complex, and Kong family cemetery are the three main Confucian sites in his hometown of Qufu. The government touts the temple as one of the top architectural sites in China and says it is one of the most visited sites in the country each year. Schoolchildren come to see the physical place of a cultural icon; followers of Confucianism, from China but also Korea, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia, make pilgrimages to the holy sites; and US and European tour groups often include the city on itineraries. The sites can be explored in hours or days, depending on how much and what you hope to learn from journeying back to the thinker who laid a foundation for much of East Asian culture.
Where to stay
Que Li Hotel
1 Que Li St., Qufu
011-86-537-486-6523
www.quelihotel.com
E-mail: root@quelihotel.com
A three-star hotel located steps from the
Confucian temple in the center of old town
Qufu. Also easy access to the family mansion
complex and cemetery. Double room $50.
Post Hotel
8 Gulau St., Qufu
011-86-537-448-3888
A modern alternative with simple but clean
rooms a few blocks from the Que Li. Double
rooms which list at $32 per night are often
discounted as much as 40 percent.
Where to eat
The streets around the temple complex are
lined with restaurants, from local holes-in-the-wall
to banquet spots catering to bus loads of
Chinese and Korean tourists. It’s good to
wander and experiment, but two spots you can
count on:
Que Li Hotel Restaurant
(See above)
Sample buffet-style cooking of so-called Confucian cuisine: beef with chili oil, fried shrimp,
gingko celery, abalone with sea cucumber and
cabbage and more. Daily 7-9 a.m., 11 am.-
2 p.m., 5 until customers leave. Dinner for
three $36.
Post Hotel Restaurant
(See above)
Another solid option, open from 8:30 a.m.-
9:30 p.m. daily. Try a breakfast of fried rice,
salty toasted biscuits, and fig and potato
porridge. Breakfast for three $12.
Resources
China Focus Travel
870 Market St., Suite 1215
San Francisco, CA 94102
800-868-7244
www.chinafocustravel.com
This US-based operator offers group package
tours that include a visit to Qufu and the
Confucian sites. The 12-day ‘‘Historical China’’
tour also stops in Beijing and Shanghai. Winter
rates, including round-trip airfare from San
Francisco, begin at $999 per person.
Want to know Confucius?
Overview on his life and teachings at:
plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius
