Plan at a glance
Location, entrance and time needed
Kong Family Mansion is on Gulou West Street in Qufu. Its South Gate is next to the East Gate of the Temple of Confucius. The mansion presents the official working areas, residential quarters and garden of the Duke Yansheng's residence, so its focus differs from the temple's ritual architecture.
The main building sequence takes about 1–1.5 hours. Allow 2–3 hours if you add the Jie Tan Tu mural, the Five-Cypress-Embracing-Sophora tree and more architectural details. Usual opening hours are 08:30–17:00, with last entry at 16:30; holidays may bring changes.
Tickets and booking
The Three Confucian Sites ticket costs CNY 140 and is valid for two days. If you visit all three sites, the combined ticket costs less than buying separate tickets for the Temple of Confucius, Kong Family Mansion and Cemetery of Confucius. The Kong Family Mansion individual ticket is CNY 60. Individual and combined options may both be available, so confirm the ticket type, eligibility and entry arrangement on the booking page.
Reservations can be made through the “Wenyou Qufu” WeChat account or an online ticketing platform. The two-day ticket works well when the Temple of Confucius and Kong Family Mansion are visited on the same day and Cemetery of Confucius is placed in another part of the itinerary.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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The building sequence of the Duke Yansheng residence
The main sights are Chongguang Gate, the Great Hall, the Second Hall, the Third Hall, the residential quarters and the rear garden. Chongguang Gate is a freestanding, splayed gate that normally remains closed. The Great Hall was used for official business and imperial proclamations, helping visitors understand the public administrative side of the mansion.
The Jie Tan Tu mural on the inner side of the residential gate is a detail unique to the mansion. In the Tieshan Garden, the Five-Cypress-Embracing-Sophora tree is the most distinctive garden feature. Visitors interested in historic buildings can follow the change from official offices to residential quarters and then to the garden; families can use building functions and daily-life spaces to understand the route.
Who it suits
Kong Family Mansion works well after the Temple of Confucius, but the two visits have different subjects. The temple focuses on ritual buildings, steles and Apricot Platform; the mansion focuses on the administrative order, family residence and rear garden of the Duke Yansheng's household.
The Five-Cypress-Embracing-Sophora tree is the main garden photograph, while red walls, grey tiles and old windows offer smaller architectural subjects. Visitors who want explanations can use an electronic guide or arrange a guiding service in advance; the building sequence and surviving details are the main focus.
Build your day
About 1–1.5 hours: building route
Enter through the South Gate and follow Chongguang Gate, the Great Hall, the Second Hall and the Third Hall towards the interior. Continue into the residential quarters and finish in the Tieshan Garden. Leave from the rear-garden direction or the East Gate according to the route open that day.
This route covers the main functions of the mansion and suits visitors who have already seen the Temple of Confucius and still have another attraction that day. A short stop in the residential quarters and another in the rear garden are enough for the main visit.
About 2–3 hours: architectural-detail route
Follow the main route through Chongguang Gate, the Great Hall, the Second Hall, the Third Hall and the residential quarters. Stop at the inner residential gate to see the Jie Tan Tu mural, then continue to Tieshan Garden for the Five-Cypress-Embracing-Sophora tree and other garden details. With more time, compare the gates, courtyards and movement between the official and residential areas.
After Kong Family Mansion, the Temple of Confucius is next to it, while Cemetery of Confucius needs a separate city transfer of about 2 km. Yan Temple is about 800 metres away and works as a quiet old-city addition, but it is a separate attraction.
Get there
Walking from the Temple of Confucius
The South Gate of Kong Family Mansion is next to the East Gate of the Temple of Confucius, making a walking connection practical. For driving, use “Queli Guesthouse Car Park” or “Kong Temple and Kong Mansion Main-Gate Ground Car Park,” then walk to the South Gate.
From Qufu East Station, take a taxi or bus. To reach Cemetery of Confucius, use a scenic-area shuttle, tricycle or taxi rather than the walking arrangement used for the temple and mansion.
Know before you go
Guides and commercial activities
Guiding services are available inside and outside the mansion, and electronic guides can also be rented. When choosing a guide, look at the route and content. Seal carving, calligraphy and other commercial activities are optional.
Building passages and the rear garden may be crowded during holidays. Chongguang Gate, the Great Hall and the residential gate have narrower spaces, and a complete visit crosses several courtyards and thresholds, so comfortable shoes help.
Tickets and itinerary connections
If you split the Three Confucian Sites across two days, the Temple of Confucius and Kong Family Mansion work well together on one day, while Cemetery of Confucius can take a separate half-day or connect with another suburban plan. The ticket is valid for two days, but each site's entry time and reservation arrangement still need to be confirmed for the day.