One Day Tour to Qufu from Jinan

Qufu is quite near to Jinan, only 40 minutes by high-speed train. taking a one-day tour to Qufu is quite convenient now, going to Qufu in the early morning and back in the late afternoon. Last year, I spent a one-day tour to Qufu from Jinan to Qufu during the Qufu International Confucius Cultural Festival, to feel the Confucianism culture there.

We got up early in the morning, for we have to catch a morning train departing at 8:02 am in Jinan West Railway Station. It took 38 minutes to arrive at Qufu East Railway Station. After get out of the station, we rented a local tricycle to get to Temple of Confucius directly.

Held by the National Tourist Bureau and People`s Government of Shandong Province during the birthday of Confucius from September 26 to October 6 every year, Qufu International Confucius Cultural Festival is known acclaimed by the NTB as one of the most key tourist festival in China. It has been held a several decades of years in Qufu.

2014 was the 2565th birth of Confucius and the 31st session of China Qufu International Confucius Cultural Festival. It was held from 24the September to 1st October in Confucius Temple in Qufu. The activities during International Confucius Cultural Festival in Qufu were quite abundant in 2014. from September 24 to September 29, the opening ceremony and Confucius line poems reading was held. Paintings and works of Han Dynasty, poetry, music and other kinds of relative exhibition were held in Qufu.

The city was quite busy during the festival period, especially in Temple of Confucius, Kong Family Mansion and Cemetery of Confucius. There are all of tourists everywhere.

There are many activities in the attractions. "Three Kongs" is connected with each other, which means it is not needed to transfer. But long walking can not be avoided.

We visited in the order of Confucius Temple, Kong Family Mansion and Cemetery of Confucius. It is said it would save time by this way.

Out from Confucius Temple, there would be signs telling the direction to Kong Family Mansion. Kong Family Mansion is the former residence of direct descendants of Confusion. The mansion is quite large with a long of different rooms, as well as big garden. Only the rooms along the Central Axis were open to tourists. Some of parts are closed to tourists. If there is a tour guide to explian to you, you will learn a lot.

Our of Kong Family Mansion there is a small pavilion where you can get stamp. If you are interested in collecting postcards, you can not miss it.

The last stop - Cemetery of Confucius is a little distant. You can choose to take the tourist car or the local tricycle to save energy.

Cemetery of Confucius is too large and I only visited the Tomb of Confucius and the surrounding places. The most famous cemetery is Confusion’s Cemetery, Kong Li Cemetery and Kong Shanghren Cemetery. In front of each cemetery, there are grant hall, censer, sacred way and so on.

After touring in Cemetery of Confucius, we went back to the train station by taxi to catch our train. Although this day tour is a little short, it was quite impressive.