Quzhou is the home of Confucius's descendants. The city's Temple of Southern Confucianism is one of the only two Confucian temples in China and a key cultural heritage site under national protection.

Construction of the temple was financed by Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) after receiving an appeal from the local prefecture chief; since then, it has been rebuilt three times and repaired 10 times.