Qufu city sits in the southwest of Shandong Province, which is best known as the hometown of Confucius (551-479BC). It is not far from the provincial capital Jinan, about 130 kilometers south. The name “Qufu” literally means "crooked hill", and refers to a mile-long hill that was part of the city during its time as capital of the State of Lu (1042 BC–249 BC).
Qufu has more than 2,500 years of history. It is the hometown of Confucius, a famous philosopher, educator in ancient China, who is believed to have been born at Mount Ni neighborhood. As the center of the national cult of Confucius and the birthplace of the mythical Yellow Emperor (the legendary founder of the Chinese nation), Qufu have seen many emperors decorate temples with steles, praising Confucius and other heroic figures of the past. Usually written in Chinese, but during some dynasties also in Mongol or Manchu, these steles are among the most characteristic objects to be found at the city's historical sites. The most important of them are supported by mighty stone tortoises (which since the Ming era have become known as bixi).
A large number of historic palaces, temples and cemeteries stand in Qufu. The three most famous cultural sites of Qufu are collectively known as San Kong, which means "the Three Confucian", and they are the Temple of Confucius, the Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion respectively. These three sites together have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.
The land transportation is very convenient in the city. Several expressways cross it and it's not far from Shandong’s provincial capital Jinan, so it's not difficult to get there. And the urban traffic in Qufu is also very convenient. You can take a city bus or taxi to get around. Qufu is not big and most attractions are very close.