Qufu, the hometown of Confucius

Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, contains numerous well-preserved historical architectural complexes which are said to represent the "peak of oriental culture". It is home to the Confucian Cemetery which occupies more than 200 hectares and has served as the family graveyard of Confucius and his descendants for more than 2,300 years. In 1994, the Confucian Cemetery, along with the city's two other most famous cultural sites, the Confucius Temple and the Kong Family Mansion were together listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site


Source: CRI

Confucius thought still flowering

Source: By Chitralekha Basu (China Daily)

At the Confucius Temple complex in Qufu, Chitralekha Basu found herself surrounded by more than just historical charm.

We are in Confucius (551-479 BC) country, walking around the Confucius Temple complex dedicated to the man, whose influence over Chinese thought and lifestyle practices has been sustained over the last 2,500 years.

Yet this massive monument to wisdom and scholarship in Qufu, Shandong province -sprawled out over 16,000 square meters and second in terms of scale only to the Forbidden City in Beijing whose model it emulates - moves me not so much because of what it is, but rather what it grows.

Tall coniferous trees line up on both sides of the approach road to the fortress-like entrance, leading to Linxing Gate. Long and thin stems of weeping willows, glittering under the mid-day sun like tinsel, bend over the moat around the wall to touch the rippling waters beneath.

Inside, it is the cypresses lording it over. Their serrated trunks spread out and twist in impossible formations, growing bulbous knobs in odd places. Sometimes, the trees slant dangerously, kowtowing to the forces of gravity.

The most legendary among the trees in this compound, of course, does not exist any more. But a red-pillared, yellow-tiled pavilion marks the spot where it once stood.

The apricot, under whose shady boughs the great seer would discuss and interpret some of the ancient classical Chinese texts - The Book of History, The Book of Rites, The Book of Odes, The Book of Music and The Book of Changes - with some of his disciples is memorialized with due reverence. This was after Confucius had returned to the State of Lu after a long-drawn, hazardous journey across China but did not wish to be re-instated as a high-ranking official, preferring a quieter and more contemplative life instead.

In Confucius' turf, the mythology around trees seems to build and prosper even independently of the great philosopher, one of whose themes was about man's communion with nature. For instance, there's a cypress under which an elderly Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) - who visited the temple eight times as his daughter had married into the Kong family - was supposed to have rested. Legend has it that the bark of the tree crinkled and grew warts to resemble dragon hide, resonating with and reinforcing its imperial associations.

There's a juniper tree that is supposed to have been planted by Confucius himself but, as our guide says, it is probably only about 300 years old. Not too far away from the centerpiece in this courtyard, the Hall of Great Perfection - where sacrificial offerings would be made in Confucius' memory in ancient times - a gingko tree from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and a Chinese scholar tree from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) appear fresh and resplendent in the golden light of a summer afternoon.

There are more leafy surprises in store as we move on to the courtyard of the Kong family residence, where 32 generations of Confucius' descendants lived for 880 years, until the 76th and the 77th in the line fled to Chongqing in 1937, after the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945). They eventually moved to Taiwan in 1949, coinciding with the defeat of the nationalist Kuomintang and the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Vines twirl up around the four-storied Tower of Refuge, built in the late Qing era as a hideaway at the time of a possible crisis, but never put to use.

The family had reasons to fear for their lives. They were close to the Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek who was invited to attend the wedding of the 76th generation Kong Decheng and his fourth wife in 1936. But the Xi'an Incident happened and Chiang went on the run, eventually captured by his former ally, the Manchurian warlord, Zhang Xueliang.

The high-profile guest never got to attend the wedding, but the bedchamber and the Wedding Hall of Double Happiness, still done up in nuptials-related paraphernalia, remains indelibly linked with a turning point in Chinese history.

In the courtyard, a Chinese scholar tree, its trunk curiously split into five equal parts by lightning, stands like a metaphor of the tensions and dissonance that its last set of residents had seen.
In the backyard of this family home, an intense growth of purple flowers and buttercups, interspersed by wispy dandelions, sprawls out, covering the expanse up to the boundary wall. The foot-high carpet of shrubbery is punctuated by maple trees, resplendent in myriad shades of red at the height of spring.

The way to the Forest of Steles - where Confucius' descendants down to the 78th generation lie in eternal rest - is through a paved avenue, flanked on either side by cypresses and pines that are at least a thousand years old. The cemetery - covering an astounding 17 sq km area - looks like a never-ending sea of purple flowers, its bounty overwhelming the several thousand-odd steles, dwarfed by the unregulated growth.

There used to be 100,000 of these at one time, put up since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), but only about 3,600 remain, the rest having been vandalized by the Red Guards during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) or fallen to natural decay.

Tender green creepers spiral up around ancient oak tree (jixiang in Chinese, also meaning excellent or auspicious) trunks. Many of these were supposedly planted by Confucius' devout student Zi Gong in his teacher's memory. Nature's constant renewal is in evidence as fresh, mint green leaves sprout from the earth under which lie two millennia of the dead.

The tombstones dedicated to Confucius were put up much later, by a member of the 51st generation of the Kong family, and another one in the recent past. These stand on the spot of Imperial sacrifices made in honor of the philosopher-statesman, as Confucius' grave was never located.

There is possibly a bit of poetic justice in the fact that it remains untraceable. Confucius had talked about heaven and humanity becoming one, imagined humankind and the natural world in perfect harmony.

Standing amid the riot of purple flowers, inundating the ornamental tombstones, blurring the line separating the flowers and pale blue horizon, one might get a sense of what he was talking about.

Qufu, the hometown of Confucius

Qufu is famed for its association with confucius but most visitors overlook three peaks nearby that hold natural beauty, legends and strong ties to philosopher

For visitors to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, a trip to the Three Kongs, the temple, the mansion and cemetery associated with the great philosopher, is almost obligatory.

But what most travelers overlook are three equally impressive mountains and hills that surround the city and off er respite from the tourist hordes.

The three mountains and hills of Qufu are worth a visit for their natural beauty alone, but they also hold historical and cultural treasures that make the climb a must.

1. Nishan Hill

While Qufu is famed as the city of Confucius, it was in fact on Nishan Hill that the man whose ideas have shaped China is said to have been born, in a three-meter deep cave called Kunling at the foot of the hill.

According to legend the baby Confucius was abandoned shortly after birth because his mother thought he was ugly, but was rescued by a tiger and an eagle, which later made the mother take him back.

Higher than Kunling Cave and to the west is River Watching Pavilion, from where Confucius is supposed to have watched the river fl owing and gasped at how rapidly earthly life changes.

The hill is also home to a Confucian temple that houses an old lecture hall used today solely for venerating the philosopher.

Behind the lecture hall is an earthen hall, which in ancient China was a common construction used for honoring the God of the Earth. Here, Confucius is said the have received help from the God of the Earth on his way to becoming a saint.

The educational center Nishan Academy on the hill was a site of scholarly discussion for centuries and still serves a similar purpose with school visits on occasions.

2. Nine Fairy Mountain

Like many picturesque mountains across China, Nine Fairy Mountain is associated with legend.

The story goes that the nine fairy maidens of the Queen Mother of the West escaped to the mountain while the Queen Mother was happily drunk during her birthday party. Angry at their departure, the Queen Mother then transformed the fairy maidens into nine peaks.

Today the mountain is dotted with brooks, fruit trees and agricultural land, and is a source of many medicinal herbs, no doubt having grown with the help of the nine fairies.

In ancient China, the mountain was home to many religious groups that have left their mark in the form of temples, including Confucianists, Daoists and Buddhists.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) an annual temple fair was started on the mountain in spring, drawing hundreds of peddlers, incense burners and performers. The temple fair later came to a halt during times of social unrest, but was restored by the local government in the 1990s along with several historical sites.

At the highest reaches of the mountain is the Bixia Ancestral Temple. Bixia was, according to legend, a fairy who did many kind deeds and whom local people called "grandma". A statue of Bixia stands in the temple's main hall.

Behind the temple are three stones said to emanate coolness even during the hottest summer day, making this a pleasant place to take a break.

On the northeastern section of the mountain is Phoenix Hill. With an elevation of 548 meters it is the tallest peak in Qufu.

Across the mountain it is not uncommon to see fruit laid out in the sun, including pears, dates, peaches and pomegranates. Even at harvest time in late autumn people often do this to satisfy a local liking for dried fruit.

3. Stone Gate Mountain

Stone Gate Mountain has 14 peaks, two of which sit opposite each other, creating the gate shape that gives the mountain its name. The mountain is divided into three main areas: Stone Gate Temple, Peach Dock and Yellow Mountain.

Of the 14 peaks, Shenghan Peak is the tallest at 406 meters. It is also well known for its caves and links with ancient philosophers and poets.

Confucius and his students frequented the mountain and used it as a place to study. The poets Li Bai and Du Fu also toured the mountain together.

More than 90 of the mountain is covered with forest, making its' 6 square kilometers a natural oxygen bar.

Source: China Daily