Qufu: Confucius' birthplace and historic home

After dinner I walked around the surrounding neighborhood. It was very quiet, reminding me of earlier years where I spent considerable time in smaller Chinese cities and towns. That day in Qufu I heard no car horns nor witnessed any traffic jams. This was small-city China where life remained more traditional, more laid-back than the megacities that tend to characterize the country's contemporary urban scene. With an urban population around 60,000 and administrative numbers just over 600,000, Qufu’s influence both domestically and internationally however is way beyond its size. I have often advocated the importance to visit lesser well-known cities. Exciting developments are often taking place there while they also present contrasting aspects of China away from normal urban stereotypes.