Confucius was traditionally born in Qufu, a city in present-day Shandong Province, China.
Qufu was the capital of the small state of Lu during Confucius’s lifetime, around the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. The city was an important center of ritual and aristocratic culture, which shaped the environment in which Confucius studied and taught.
Qufu later became the principal pilgrimage center for Confucius. The Temple and Cemetery of Confucius, together with the Kong Family Mansion, form a major historical complex there. These sites reflect the long political and cultural importance of the Confucian tradition.
Confucius is also associated with the Kong family name, and traditional accounts describe him as Kong Qiu. Qufu should not be confused with nearby cities such as Jinan, the modern provincial capital, or with Luoyang, a major historical capital farther west.