Chüfu

Ch’üfu

 

(also Kufow), a city in China, in Shantung Province. Ch’üfu was founded early in the first millennium B.C. The birthplace of the philosopher Confucius, it is dominated by the Confucius temple complex (begun fifth century B.C), which consists of courtyards and numerous structures. At the center of the complex stands the Ta Chen Tien (Hall of Greatest Perfection), a palace built in 1018 and restored in 1724. Near Ch’üfu is a park with a pantheon built to honor Confucius and his disciples; the pantheon contains statues, memorial halls, and tombstones.