CITY · ZHEJIANG
Quzhou
衢州 · Qúzhōu
Overview
Zhejiang city in the Qu River valley, seat of the southern Kong family — descendants of Confucius who established a branch of the family mansion here in 1128. The Southern Kong Family Mansion and surrounding traditional county-town character give Quzhou a gentler, less-visited alternative to Qufu in Shandong.
Quzhou's most distinctive historical fact is that it has housed a branch of the Kong family — direct lineal descendants of Confucius — since 1128, when the Northern Song court fled south before the Jurchen Jin invasion and a branch of the Kong lineage followed, establishing a secondary family seat here. For nearly nine centuries the Southern Kong Family Mansion (南宗孔氏家庙) in central Quzhou has functioned as the Confucian ancestral hall for the southern branch, rivalling the principal family seat at Qufu in Shandong in historical significance if not in scale.
The Kong Family Temple compound in Quzhou is a substantially intact Ming-Qing era complex — lecture halls, ancestral shrines, clan records rooms, and a garden arranged around the characteristic Kong-family courtyard plan. The Quzhou Confucius festival, held annually on 28 September (Confucius's traditional birthday), draws pilgrims from the southern branch of the Kong family and scholars from across the Chinese-speaking world [VERIFY: festival dates and public access — May 2026].
Beyond the Confucian heritage, Quzhou is a pleasantly preserved mid-sized county town with a Tianwang Tower (reconstructed) marking the old city centre, riverside walks along the Qu River and its tributaries, and an old city district with Qing-era commercial streets. The city largely escaped the redevelopment that has homogenised much of coastal Zhejiang, retaining a pace and scale that is now increasingly rare.
The surrounding landscape is hilly — the Jiangshan Grand Canyon (120 km south) and the Gudian ancient town in Longyou county (50 km north, near the extraordinary Longyou Caves) are accessible day trips. The Longyou Caves — an enormous set of underground chambers cut from siltstone in an unknown historical period, rediscovered in 1992 — are one of the most genuinely puzzling archaeological sites in China.
Cultural & access notes
The Kong family's southern branch maintained Confucian ritual practice and genealogical records through nine centuries at Quzhou. The family's claim to descent from Confucius has been documented through written genealogies and is taken seriously by Chinese scholarly and cultural institutions. The temple visit is an opportunity to encounter Confucian practice as a living tradition rather than a museum exhibit.
What to see
- Southern Kong Family Mansion (Nanzong Kong Family Temple) — Confucian family seat since 1128
- Longyou Caves (50 km north) — mysterious ancient underground chambers, extraordinary site
- Tianwang Tower — restored landmark of old Quzhou city centre
- Qu River riverside walk — old city embankment, Qing-era buildings
- Jiangshan Grand Canyon scenic area (120 km south)
- Gudian Ancient Town — traditional county-town architecture, Longyou county
- Quzhou Confucius Festival — 28 September, ancestral ceremony at the Kong Family Temple [VERIFY: access — May 2026]
What to eat
- Quzhou-style braised pork — slow-cooked in rice wine and soy, a Zhejiang cooking standard
- Kaitou fish soup — freshwater fish from the Qu River, light broth with salted vegetables
- Sanmen (or local) crab — Zhejiang's crab culture extends west; seasonal (September–November)
- Bamboo shoot dishes — Zhejiang's spring bamboo shoots are a serious local ingredient
- Mifen (rice noodles) — the Quzhou morning staple, with pork bone broth
- Scallion-studded flatbreads — baked in street stalls, the universal Zhejiang street food
Getting there
Quzhou Airport (JUZ) has limited flights; connections typically to Shanghai (1 hour) and Beijing (2 hours) [VERIFY: current schedule — May 2026]. More practically, high-speed rail connects Quzhou to Hangzhou (1.5 hours), Shanghai (2.5 hours), and Fuzhou (2 hours). The high-speed corridor makes day trips from Hangzhou feasible.
Getting around
City buses and taxis serve the compact city centre. The Kong Family Mansion is walkable from the old town area. Longyou Caves require a bus or taxi (approximately 1 hour north). The Jiangshan canyon area requires a hired car or organised tour.
Where to stay
Mid-range hotels in the city centre and near the railway station. The Qu River area has some guesthouses in converted traditional buildings. Not a high-tourism city, so accommodation options are practical rather than curated.
We list neighbourhoods, not specific hotels — we don't endorse hotels.
When to go
Spring (April–May) for mild weather and fresh bamboo shoots; autumn (September–October) for the Confucius festival and crab season. Summer is hot and humid; winters are cool but mild compared to northern China.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥150 |
| Mid-range | ¥320 |
| Comfortable | ¥650 |
Safety notes
Quzhou is a safe, ordinary Zhejiang city. The Longyou Caves are illuminated but can be uneven underfoot — take care on the stone surfaces.
Food of Eastern China
- Beggar's Chicken叫花鸡
A whole chicken stuffed with aromatics, wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, then slow-baked until the meat steams in its own juices.
- Beggar's Chicken — Jiaohuaji叫花鸡 (江苏式)
A Jiangsu-province variation of clay-baked chicken with a lotus-leaf wrap and a mushroom and pork stuffing.
- Dragon Well Tea龙井茶
China's most celebrated green tea — pan-fired flat leaves from Hangzhou's West Lake district with a sweet, chestnut flavour.
- Drunken Chicken醉鸡
Chicken steamed and marinated in Shaoxing rice wine, served chilled. A Shanghai banquet starter.
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