Gates Surrounding the Confucius Temple complex 孔庙
Although the city of Qufu in Shandong province may not be well known outside of China, it is definitely one ofthe preeminent historical cities of the country. I actually never heard about this place until I was planning my eastern China trip, but upon hearing the historical significance of this place, I was convinced that I needed to drop by this city. The city itself isn’t really ultra-modern like Beijing or Shanghai is, in fact it has that small town feel despite its historical significance.
Map of the Confucius Temple Complex 孔庙
Much of the city is made up of the Confucius Mansion and Confucius Temple grounds. So large is this complex that it is the second largest old building complex in China, first one is probably the Forbidden City in Beijing. Another interesting similarity with Beijing is that the Confucius Mansion and Confucius Temple complex is surrounded by walls encircling several city blocks, effectively making it is very own Forbidden City. The descendants of the famed philosopher still live here and are quite powerful locally as they are able to influence building projects which may impact their property. The government seems to give them a wide berth too.
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