Nishan Sacredland
尼山圣境
A large cultural attraction at Nishan, the birthplace of Confucius. Its three main highlights are a 72-meter statue of Confucius, the gilded Grand Academy hall, and the Golden Voice and Jade Resonance ceremonial music performance.
Nishan Sacredland lies about 25 km southeast of Qufu's city center, at Nishan Mountain, next to the Nishan Reservoir. It opened in 2018 as a large cultural tourism area themed on the 'birthplace of Confucius.' Its main highlights are as follows. First, the 72-meter bronze statue of Confucius stands at the foot of the main peak of Nishan, facing the reservoir. It is the tallest statue of Confucius in the world, and the square in front of it offers great panoramic views. Second, the Grand Academy is a huge building in the Tang style, with halls such as the Hall of the Seventy-Two Sages' Corridor, the Hall of Benevolence, and the Hall of the Way of Great Learning. Their gilded interiors are covered with painted murals, making it the most photogenic space in the scenic area. It is also the venue for daily ceremonial performances, such as hand-copying the Analects and disciple-admission ceremonies. Third, the large-scale show 'Golden Voice and Jade Resonance' is staged in a theater beside the Grand Academy. It presents rites of passage through ceremonial music and dance and lasts about 70 minutes. It usually takes place in the evening, with extra shows in peak season. Tickets cost about 150–250 yuan. In the evenings there is also the Nishan Night Tour light show, 'Nishan Sacred Show,' with projection on water screens. The Nishan Confucius Temple and Academy next to the park are Ming and Qing buildings, which have separate admission fees and can be visited on the way. Admission to the park costs about 130 yuan. Evening performance and night tour tickets are sold separately as combo packages. Buy tickets through the official 'Nishan Sacredland' WeChat account. The park is large, and a sightseeing bus costs about 20 yuan. Getting there: a taxi from Qufu city center takes about 40 minutes and costs about 60–80 yuan. Qufu East Railway Station has a dedicated tourist shuttle bus. Driving is convenient, and the parking lot is large. Suggested plan: arrive around 3 p.m. and see the statue and the Grand Academy first, then stay for the evening views and performance. Allow 4 to 5 hours. Note: inside the Grand Academy, visitors must remove their hats and keep quiet. Book performance tickets in advance during peak season. The commercial atmosphere is fairly heavy, but the architecture and production of the shows are of high quality.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–21:00 (night tours and performances per official notice)
Nearby sights
- Confucius Temple of Mount Ni
- Mausoleum of Shaohao
- Confucius Museum
- Confucius Six Arts City
- Temple of the Duke of Zhou
- Gulou Street & Wumaci Street
- Temple of Yan Hui
- Ming City Wall of Qufu