Qufu Apricot Altar

Qufu Apricot Altar

The Apricot Altar was built to commemorate Confucius’ lectures. When Kong Daofu, the 45th-generation descendant of Confucius, supervised the renovation of the Confucius Temple, he moved the main hall back, cleared the ground to make an altar, and planted apricot trees around it, naming it the “Apricot Altar.”

The Apricot Altar is a symbol of the brilliance of Confucius’ teachings. There’s not much to do here, but you can stop to learn more about the stories behind it. It also attracts many people who come here to take photos due to its beautiful scenery.

Time Needed

Half an hour

Transportation

Bus: Take bus No. 2, 3, or 5 and get off at the South Gate of the Confucius Mansion; you’ll arrive right at the site.

By Car:

(1) G3 (Beijing–Fuzhou) Expressway — exit at Qufu — drive west along National Highway 327 to downtown Qufu — follow the scenic area signs to the Three Confucian Sites; it takes about 10 minutes by car after getting off the expressway.

(2) G1511 (Rizhao–Dongying) Expressway — exit at Qufu South — drive south along National Highway 104 to downtown Qufu — follow the scenic area signs to the Three Confucian Sites; it takes about 10 minutes by car after getting off the expressway.

Transportation within the Scenic Area: Tourist shuttle electric buses are available at a fare of 15 RMB per person (10 RMB per person for groups). After purchasing tickets at the tourist distribution center, you can take the shuttle electric buses to visit the Three Confucian Sites.

Ticket

Included in the Confucius Temple ticket.

Opening Hours

(April–June): 8:00–17:30; (July–October): 8:00–18:00; (November–March of the following year): 8:00–17:00.

Location

In front of the Dacheng Hall, inside the Confucius Temple, Qufu City, Jining, Shandong Province