Qufu
Qufu is a city in Shandong, East China, located about 130 km south of Jinan. It covers an area of 815 square kilometers and has a population of 653,000, with 188,000 living in urban areas. Qufu is famous as the birthplace of Confucius. It has many historic palaces, temples, and cemeteries.[1][2]
| Qufu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg) "Qufu" in Chinese characters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 曲阜 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Postal | Kufow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Crooked Hill" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The city's famous cultural sites, known as San Kong ('the Three Confucian [sites]'), include the Temple of Confucius, the Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion. These sites have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.[3][4]
Name
The name of the city "Qufu" means "crooked hill" in Chinese, and refers to a mile-long hill that was part of the city during its time as capital of the state of Lu.[5]
Religious importance
Qufu is a important place in Confucianism as it is Confucius's birthplace. The city has the most important Temple of Confucius, the Mausoleum of Confucius, and the Mansion of the Kong Family. Additionally, it has a branch of the Holy Church of Confucius and is the headquarters of the Federation of Confucian Culture.[6]
