Descendants, scholars mark Confucius' birth
- Source: Global Times
- [02:46 September 29 2009]
- Comments
More than 160 students and teachers marked the 2560th Confucius' birthday at the Temple of Confucius in Beijing Monday. Photo: Guo Yingguang
By Zhang Lei and Liu Dong
Thousands of people, including many descendants, celebrated the birthday Monday of one of the world's most revered thinkers during gatherings around the country, including a major one in Shandong Province, where he was born.
Confucius, who is an influential personality in modern China and around the world even today, was born 2,560 years ago in Qufu, Shandong.
Mainland
At the Confucius Temple in Qufu, more than 10,000 people celebrated the occasion with music, dance and poetry during a grand ceremony attended by his descendants, scholars and representatives of foreign embassies and international organizations.
"These ceremonies help the general public understand the thinking of their ancestors. Expressing respect for them has become fashionable in China," Zhang Yiwu, a renowned professor at Peking University's Department of Chinese Language and Literature, told the Global Times Monday.
The great thinker and philosopher was born September 28, 551 BC and died 479 BC. Confucius is known for his emphasis on using peace, harmony, morality and self-discipline as guiding principles.
At the Qufu event, the theme was "harmony and honesty" and participants read a 654- word funeral oration written by professor Fan Zeng, a traditional Chinese art master who has studied Confucius for years.
The words described Confucius' principles of governing a country with morality and respect for citizens, and the importance of inheriting a Confucian culture through good manners and the search for knowledge and harmony.
The Qufu event included music and dance that were popular many years ago.
