Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion

"UNESCO World Heritage The original temple in Qufu-legendary birthplace of Kong Fuzi (known in the West as Confucius) dates back to 478 BCE, one year after the philasopher's death. The temple complex grew as Confucius's fame spread, and today it is one of the three largest ancient architectural complexes in China Much of what can be seen dates back to Ming and Qing times. Built on a north-south axis, the temple's design was based on that of a royal palace and divided into nine courtyards. The main buildings consist of three halls, one pavition, one altar, and three ancestral temples, Kuiwen Pavilion (Great Pavilion of the Constellation of Scholarsi dates from the Jin dynasty. it is a two-story wooden building whose top floor housed books given by the emperors, on the ground floor items used by the emperors when offering sacrifices were stored, Just beyond the Dacheng Gate is the Apricot Platform from where Confucius taught his students. The buildings beyond include Dacheng Hall, one of the three largest ancient halls in China, used for sacrifices to Confucius and other scholars. The two otherereas are for worship of the family. As well as the original Confucian temple in Qufu, many others were built. These enjoved the support of Chinese emperors over two millennia, ensuring that the finest artists and craftsmen were involved in the creation and reconstruction of the buildings and the landscape, all dedicated to Confucius and his deeds. Confucius's contribution to philosophical and political doctrine in the East, and also in Europe and the West, has been one of the most profound factors in the evolution of modern thought and government. For these reasons the temple, together with the cemetery containing Confucius's tomb and the Kong family mansion, were inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1994."