Kong Family Mansion, Ancient Chinese family residence in Qufu, China
The Kong Family Mansion is a large residential compound in Qufu containing many buildings from the Ming and Qing periods. The complex includes administrative offices, living quarters, ceremonial halls, and courtyards that display how a prominent family organized their daily lives and work.
The complex began to grow as a residence in 1038 during the Song period. In 1377, the Ming dynasty ordered its reconstruction and greatly expanded it into the form you see today.
The mansion is named for the Kong lineage of Confucius, whose descendants occupied it through the centuries. Walking through the rooms, you encounter the objects they used daily: imperial robes, calligraphy, and gifts from emperors to the family.
It helps to start with a map or guide since the many connected areas can feel disorienting at first. Wear good shoes, as you will walk over uneven courtyards and stone pathways throughout the site.
A four-story tower stands as the tallest structure in the complex and was built as a refuge in emergencies. Yet it was never actually used as shelter in all the centuries of its existence.
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