Confucian Temple, Confucian Family Mansion and Confucian Cemetery（三孔）

Confucian Temple, Confucian Family Mansion and Confucian Cemetery [lvyou180.com]

Qufu is the birthplace of Confucius (551-479 BC), a great thinker, statesman and educator in China's history, and the founder of the Confucian school of philosophy. The place abounds with cultural relics, the most famous of which are the Confucian Temple, the Confucian Family Mansion and the Confucian Cemetery.

The Confucian Temple, in the center of Qufu City, was built in 478 BC. There are still 466 halls, pavilions and other rooms intact, covering a total area of 200 mu (13.3 hectares). The Great Accomplishment Hall, the major structure of the temple, is 33 meters tall. It is roofed with yellow glazed tiles and has octagonal eaves. In addition to a statue of Confucius, the hall also houses stone inscriptions of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), telling the life story of Confucius in 120 pictures as well as a host of stone tablets.

The Confucian Family Mansion, adjacent to the Confucian Temple, was the residence of Confucius' descendants and is topped only by the imperial palace in scale. Covering an area of 12 hectares, the family mansion now houses a large number of documents, files and cultural relics.

The Confucian Cemetery, covering more than 200 hectares, has served as the family graveyard of Confucius and his descendants for more than 2,300 years. The walls around the cemetery are 7 kilometers (4.35 miles) long and contain more than 10,000 tombs. The area is also famous for its natural botanical gardens, which contain over 1,000 mature trees.

The Confucian Temple, the Confucian Family Mansion and the Confucian Cemetery were included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1994.

Admission: Joint ticket: 150 yuan (US$23.62)/person

                      Confucian Temple: 90 yuan (US$14.18)/person

                      Confucian Family Mansion: 60 yuan (US$9.45)/person

                      Confucian Cemetery: 40 yuan (US$6.3)/person