Qufu Private Walking Tour: Confucius Temple, Family Mansion and Cemetery with Lunch

The journey, in full

Your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby in Qufu and take you directly to the Temple of Confucius. If you choose to start the tour at 7:30 am, you will have the opportunity to witness the Opening Gate Ceremony at the main entrance. The Temple of Confucius was originally built in 478 BC to honor Confucius. Throughout the centuries, the temple has undergone 15 major renovations, 31 large repairs, and numerous smaller building projects. More than 300 buildings were constructed during the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The temple was designed according to the specifications of imperial palaces, featuring yellow roof tiles and red-painted walls surrounded by dark green pine trees to create a striking color contrast. During your tour with your guide, you will explore the halls and courtyards, learn about the symbolic significance of the architecture, view the statue of Confucius, visit stone tablets, steles, and pavilions, and discover more about Confucius's life and the cultural items related to him. Afterward, you will walk through a small market and continue to explore the Kong Family Mansion. This mansion has been home to the descendants of Confucius, who were responsible for conducting religious ceremonies for centuries. The mansion, originally built in 1038, consists of 152 buildings with 480 rooms and was inhabited by Confucius's descendants until 1937. Next, you will head to Confucius Cemetery, either by car or tuk-tuk. This cemetery has been the final resting place of Confucius and his descendants for over two thousand years. Known as the Forest of Confucius, it is the largest, oldest, and best-preserved single-family cemetery in China, with over 20 trees.