Confucius' Hometown Was Qufu

Qufu city, which has a history dating back thousands of years, is still regarded as the fabled birthplace of numerous Chinese sages, including Confucius and Mencius. The local lords of Lu, who ruled from the adjacent city of Qufu, effectively declared the region independent despite being nominally under the power of the Zhou rulers. Kong He (or Shuliang He), his father, was the senior commandant of the local Lu garrison. His lineage may be traced back to the Shang dynasty, which came before the Zhou, through the Song dukes. According to traditional Confucius biographies, Kong He's grandpa moved the family from Song to Lu.

The villagers in Qufu constructed cemeteries and temples to honor these great sages, which were later made public as tourist destinations. The Three Kongs is the Confucius Temple (Kong Miao), the Confucius Cemetery (Kong Lin), and the Kong Family Mansion (Kong Fu) are the most well-known sights.