Qufu Travel Guide
Qufu, as Chinese cultural and historical city, is the cradle of Chinese ancient emperors in politics and ideology. It is the old capital of Yin and Shang Dynasties, the capital of Lu Kingdom in Zhou Dynasty. It is also famous as the birthplace of Confucius who was the most celebrated ideologist, politician, educationist, and the initiator of Confucianism in later Spring and Autumn Period. Its time-honored history and civilization as well as gorgeous oriental culture make it world-widely popular. Qufu was always thought of as the holy land in China's long feudalistic society. Nowadays, it is also called Oriental Jerusalem by many westerners.
In sage's birthplace, tricycle is also different from it in other places. Drivers generally sit before passengers, but it is absolutely opposite in Qufu. The passengers sit before the drivers, so it seems like a forklift. There is not folding screen before the vehicles, so anything surrounding it is truly available. It will be better if the driver can be able to act as a guide to introduce much more about this city and its characteristics.
Confucius is connected with dragon. Dragon in China is always moving forward following the syncretism of god and human, and dragon in China is generally considered as a mysterious symbol constituted of fish, crocodile, deer, eagle and snakes together with cloud, rainbow, thundering and lightning. At that time, Confucius thought of Laozi, the founder of Taoism, as dragon. It was said that he paid a special visit to Laozi in Luoyi. After he came back, he was excited at shouting: I see the dragon! That is right, Laozi's expression and deep thought on life indeed let himself look like a dragon.
It is said that there were two dragons falling off from the heaven and landed on the roof of house where his mother lived, when Confucius was born at night. Two goddesses also flied down to give bath to this sage. Generally it is understandable that many writers make use of the dragons to enhance the inviolability and holiness of celebrities. Chinese emperors wont give up any chance to show their particularity by virtue of auspicious omen and uncommon phenomena. Confucius temples and palaces are also decorated with the dragon pictures or sculptures.
Diversity of historical and cultural sites and relics are also easily found, many celebrities houses and tombs are also available. Among these rich historical and humanistic resources, Confucius' Temple, Confucius' Mansion and Confucius' Forest are the most attractive and worthy places to see.
Climate: It is mainly affected by warm temperate continental monsoon climate. Four seasons are easily differentiated. It has sunshine of 2433.3 hours annually and frost-free period 199 days. Average annual temperature is 13.6 C; and average annual precipitation is 666.3 mm.
Transportation: national highways 104 and 327 cross Qufu respectively. It is only 15 kilometers lfrom Yanzhou train station. Beijing and Tianjin are both available in the north, Shanghai and Fuzhou in south. It does not has its own airport. But it is near to Jinan airport and Kwan-yin airport. The railway in Qufu is much too convenient, and there are 9 train stops. But it is not a big and important city in geography, so trains suspend here for a short time.
Geography: Qufu locates in the southwest of Shandong Province, and it is roughly 160 kilometers afar from Jinan, the provincial capital of Shandong Province. It lies at the east of Yimeng Mountains, south of Huaihai sea ,west of Yanzhou and north of Tai Mountain.
Geography: Qufu locates in the southwest of Shandong Province, and it is roughly 160 kilometers afar from Jinan, the provincial capital of Shandong Province. It lies at the east of Yimeng Mountains, south of Huaihai sea ,west of Yanzhou and north of Tai Mountain.
