Zoucheng City, originally called as Zouxian, is located in the south
of Shandong Province. With a long history and a splendid culture, it is the
birthplace of Confucius and Mencius, both of whom are great thinkers and
educationists in ancient China. In 1995, it was proclaimed as one of the
national historical and cultural cities by the State Council.
The city boasts
enchanting scenery and abundant historic sites. There are altogether over 300
scenic areas and historic sites, including more than 10 key cultural relics
sites under the provincial level protection or above. Among them, the Four
Mencius', namely the Mencius' Temple, the Mencius' Mansion, the Mencius' Forest,
and the Mencius' Mother's Forest, and the Four Mountains, i.e. Cliffside stone
carvings in the Iron Mountain, Gangshan Mountain, Geshan Mountain and Jianshan
Mountain, are famous home and abroad.
The Mencius' Temple, where
people fete Mencius, has five courtyards and 64 halls and rooms, covering an area of more
than four hectares. The Mencius' Mansion, where Mencius' descendants lived, is
adjacent to the Mencius' Temple, and has altogether 116 halls and rooms. Reputed
as the Wonder South of Taishan Mountain, Yishan Mountain is a famous historical
and cultural mountain in Shandong Province. With an elevation of 555 meters and
a circumference of over 10 km, Yishan Mountain is characterized by oddly shaped
peaks and rocks, steep cliffs, quiet grottos, numerous pines and limpid springs.