IF YOU GO . . .

GETTING THERE

Fast trains to Qufu East station leave from Beijing South several times a day. They take a little more than two hours and cost from R800 return. Trains to Qufu from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport take a little more than three hours and cost from R1 100 return. Tickets can be bought at train stations but can sell out: it’s best to arrange them in advance through your hotel or an agency. Passengers must carry their passports.

WHERE TO EAT

Counted as part of China’s “intangible cultural heritage”, Kong family cuisine is served throughout Qufu. Tied to the sage’s philosophy, it includes such treats as Wisdom Frees Perplexity (braised pork ribs), Ginkgo Poetry Rites (steamed snow pears with ginkgo nuts) and Three Ingredients Soup, a broth simmered down from chicken, duck and pork.

Qufu’s street food offers a cornucopia of other delights, too. Don’t miss the jian bing — thin crepes topped with spring onions, chilli, hoisin sauce and crunchy fried dough. Half the pleasure is in watching the pancake being spun into existence on the hotplate.

It’s also fun to see Qufu’s ginger sweets being made. They look like honeycomb and are crafted by hawkers who roll out a golden-syrup-coloured mixture of ginger and melted sugar, then cool it down so it can be smashed into pieces.