Birthplace of Mencius, Zoucheng is celebrated for supplying China with its ‘Second Sage’. In this case, ‘First Sage’ status goes to Confucius, himself. That aside, Zoucheng has dozens of outstanding temples and forests to please visitors.
Given its Confucian legacy, there are hundreds of historic sites in Zoucheng. Temples, stone carvings and impressive outdoor arenas are all on hand. The foremost attractions are directly related to Mencius’ life and include his temple, mansion and forest, but there are literally hundreds of other sites of broader scope.
Mount Yishan is an excellent place to get a perspective on the city as well as its feted philosopher. The mountain is only 1,800 feet tall but boasts a unique landscape of springs, craggy cliffs, boulders and reflective grottos. Some of the larger cliffs in the area boast stone carvings that garner a great deal of attention.
Getting There & Away
Zoucheng is 50 miles from Qufu and 100 miles from Ji’nan. The latter can be reached by bus or car in 2 hours and is the major transport hub for the region. Ji’nan’s airport offers service to Beijing (1 hour). There is also a prominent railway through the region that connects directly to Shanghai and Beijing.
Things to Do
Zoucheng Attractions
- Mencius Mansion
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This massive complex was home to mencius’ descendants and has accumulated 116 rooms.
- Mencius Temple
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With 64 halls and five courtyards arrayed over 12 acres, this temple is a fitting homage to one of china’s greatest philosophers.
- Forests
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There are many forested areas around zoucheng including mencius forest, mencius’ mother’s forest and yishan mountain.