Confucius Mansion

　　Introduction      Qufu is located in central Shandong. It was the capital of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in the 11th century BC, and also the hometown of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism and a renowned thinker of the late Spring and Autumn period, where he wrote and taught. “Millennia of rites and music belong to Eastern Lu, and through the ages scholars pay homage to the Sage in White”—Qufu’s global renown is closely tied to the name of Confucius. Confucius is one of the greatest philosophers in the world and the founder of China’s Confucian school. Over the long course of more than two thousand years of history, Confucian culture gradually became China’s orthodox culture and influenced countries across East and Southeast Asia, forming the foundation of the entire Eastern cultural sphere. The Confucius Mansion, Confucius Temple, and Confucius Forest in Qufu, collectively known as the “Three Confucian Sites,” are symbolic monuments of successive Chinese dynasties commemorating Confucius and promoting Confucianism. They are famed for their profound cultural heritage, long history, grand scale, rich collection of cultural relics, as well as their scientific and artistic value. Due to their prominent status in Chinese history and Eastern culture worldwide, they are revered as one of the world’s three great holy cities.　　The “Three Confucian Sites” of Qufu—the Confucius Temple, Confucius Mansion, and Confucius Forest—are world-famous. The Confucius Temple is the site for worshipping Confucius. Initially built in 478 BC, it was very small at the time, consisting only of Confucius’ former residence used as a temple for “yearly worship.” After the Western Han Dynasty, as successive emperors continuously conferred higher titles upon Confucius, the scale of the Confucius Temple also expanded. The Confucius Mansion is a vast compound; in fact, it is not Confucius’ home but the residence of his descendants. The Confucius Forest is the burial ground of Confucius and his family, covering an area of 200 hectares.　　Confucius Mansion: This is the residence of the hereditary “Duke Yansheng,” the direct descendants of Confucius, and is the largest mansion in China after the imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Currently, the Confucius Mansion covers an area of over 240 mu, with 463 various structures including halls, towers, pavilions, and chambers, divided into three routes: central, eastern, and western. The eastern route is the family temple, the western route is the academy, and the central route is the main building complex. The central section is divided by the inner residence: the front part serves as the official yamen, with three halls and six offices (the Grand Hall, Second Hall, Third Hall, Guanhook Office, Baihu Office, Zhizhang Office, Zhangshu Office, Dianji Office, and Sile Office); the rear part is the inner residence, with the Front Upper Room, Front Hall Tower, Rear Hall Tower, and Rear Five Rooms. At the very back is the Confucius Mansion garden, a place for the Dukes Yansheng and their families to stroll and relax throughout the dynasties.

　　 

　　 Jining City, Shandong Province

　　Confucius (551 BC～479 BC)　　 Confucius (551–479 BC), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong) in Changping, State of Lu. He was a thinker, educator, and statesman of the late Spring and Autumn period, the founder of Confucianism, and one of the most influential figures in Chinese history and culture. He also had a significant impact worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries, and is recognized as a world cultural figure. Confucius’ ancestors were from the Wei clan; his ancestor Weizi Qi, the half-brother of the tyrant King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty, inherited the Shang lineage and was enfeoffed in the State of Song. His sixth-generation ancestor, Kong Fu Jia, was the first to adopt the surname Kong. His fifth-generation ancestor, Mukin Fu, fled to Lu to escape turmoil and later settled in Zouyi, State of Lu. His father, Shuliang He, was a renowned warrior of Lu, known for his bravery and strength among the feudal lords, and in his later years... Details+