In Confucianism, the Chinese state of Lu was the birthplace and main home of Confucius.
Lu was an ancient state in what is now Shandong Province. Confucius was born in Lu in 551 BCE and spent much of his life teaching, serving in government, and preserving older traditions there. The state is also important because Confucius was traditionally associated with editing or transmitting several classical texts connected with Lu.
Lu’s political history helps explain why it became central to later Confucian memory. It was a relatively small state, but its rulers and elite maintained traditions that Confucius considered valuable. After his death, Lu remained closely associated with his disciples and descendants.
Lu is sometimes confused with Qufu, the city where Confucius was born and buried. Qufu was located within Lu; it was not a separate philosophical tradition or an alternative name for the state.