Shimenshan, Shandong Province, China

🇨🇳 Qufu is located in the south-west of Shandong Province, China. The Shimenshan Cittaslow is in the northern mountainous area of Qufu, covering less than 50 square km. The area has green mountains and clear rivers, with forest coverage rate up to 70%, and takes pride in one National 4A scenic spot and one 3A scenic spot. The environment is enjoyable, liveable and desirable, almost idyllic.

History Qufu is an ancient city with a long history of 5,000 years. It is an important birthplace of Oriental culture, one of the world's oldest and greatest cultural attractions and the hometown of Confucius who is the great ancient Chinese thinker, educator and founder of Confucianism. It is the birthplace of the Yellow Emperor, Shen Nong's ancient capital, the place where the Shang Dynasty was founded and the capital of the Kingdom of Lu in the Zhou Dynasty. It is one of the first famous historical and cultural cities in China. The Confucius Temple, the Confucius Mansion and the Confucius Cemetery were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. More than 2,000 years ago, Confucius put forward the idea of "unity of man and nature". The proposition coincides with the modern ecological concept, and the influence can be found in his townsmen, who are amiable to each other, cherish the land resources and respect for the nature and naturally hold on to the simple and honest idea of environmental protection.

Economy The Shimenshan Cittaslow has green mountains and clear rivers. There is no industry here, and ecological village tourism is developed in recent years. There are more than 100 farmhouse restaurants，orchards，eco-agriculture bases in the area，and farmers can increase the income by selling locally grown organic grains, vegetables, fresh fruits and dried fruits.

Projects The area offers a selection of recreational projects including the Shimen Mountain Rural Sport Club, self-drive car camping, Disadvantage-Is-Blessing Confucius Academy, Confucian Tea Expo. Villages such as Hulutao, Huiquanyu, Zhouzhuang and Liyuan are available for experiencing traditional folk customs. The rural scenery is even better with the presence of fruit trees grown in a large scale, including apricots, apples, yellow peaches, cherries, chestnuts, tipsy dates, winter peaches, persimmons and hawthorns. Most of the fruits are certified pollution free and organic. The Gaolou grapes and the Beidashan jujubes are certified with the National Geographic Marks. A number of events have been organised, such as the Cherry Picking Festival, Tourists Festival and Mountain Climbing Festival.