Qufu is the Chinese name of Confucius’s hometown and burial site in present-day Shandong.
Qufu was historically located in the state of Lu, where Confucius lived, taught, and served in government according to traditional biographies. The city later became a major center of Confucian memory and pilgrimage because it preserves sites connected with Confucius and his descendants.
The principal historic complex includes the Temple of Confucius, the Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion. Together, these sites reflect centuries of imperial patronage, ritual practice, family administration, and educational tradition. UNESCO inscribed the “Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu” as a World Heritage Site in 1994.
Qufu is sometimes confused with the broader region of Shandong or with the ancient state of Lu. Qufu is the specific city associated with Confucius’s life and later commemoration.