Chinese civilization has flourished across millennia, and the graceful beauty of traditional rites has stood the test of time. In 2026, the Guiyang Confucius Academy is seeking to imbue ancient rituals with contemporary relevance. From a coming-of-age ceremony to an elegant Dragon Boat Festival that blends the Yangming’s School of Mind (Xinxue) with folk customs, the teachings of rites and music are nourishing the spiritual lives of modern society in a gentler yet more empowering manner.
 
Coming-of-age ceremony: What does adulthood truly mean？

On April 30, 2026, amid the final "sprint" for the national college entrance exam, more than 300 Grade-12 students set off from the Huaxi River for a 30-minute perseverance hike to kick off their coming-of-age ceremony. The walk embodies Yangming's School of Mind of "self-cultivation through real-life practice," the ideological foundation of the ritual.
After arriving at the Confucius Academy, beneath the Lingxing Gate, the students washed their hands as a symbolic gesture representing the cleaning of one’s mind. Later, upon reaching the Dacheng Gate, they received ceremonial scarves, adjusted their attire, expressed their gratitude with three salutes and listened to ancestral teachings at the Ritual Square. Wang Baojian, director of the Guiyang Municipal Working Committee for the Care of the Next Generation, presented them with a six-character tenet: fortitude, the unity of knowledge and action, and commitment. Recitations from The Great Learning mingled with the teenagers' vows. Free of superficial formalities, every step and ritual procedure probed one question: what does adulthood truly mean? The coming-of-age ceremony offered its answer: it is a lifelong practice of integrating knowledge and action.
 
Four Life Rites:  Solemn milestones
 
The coming-of-age ceremony is only one part of the Four Life Rites performed at the Guiyang Confucius Academy. Comprising the first writing ceremony, the coming-of-age ceremony, wedding and Double Ninth Festival rituals, the four rites anchor key moments from infancy to old age, serving as solemn milestones in one's life.
 
The year 2025 witnessed the full maturation of this system. More than 1,100 students affirmed their aspirations and responsibilities at coming-of-age ceremonies, while 18 couples from across China and Vietnam exchanged vows in traditional wedding rituals. Descendants of Confucius joined primary school students for the first writing ceremony, and the tea and fruit tributes during the Double Ninth Festival functioned as an expression of filial piety. Throughout the year, the Four Life Rites activities reached over 2.1 million people online and offline. Behind these figures are the emotional affirmation and cultural identity that countless people derive from these traditional rituals.
 
In 2026, such cultural exploration deepened further. The coming-of-age ceremony incorporated a perseverance hike, turning physical endurance into a medium for spiritual cultivation. During the Dragon Boat Festival, the cultural event Twelve Realms of Inquiry: A Refreshing Dragon Boat Journey integrated Yangming’s School of Mind, folk customs and traditional Chinese medicine into one holistic experience. The immersive dance drama Guizhou’s Twelve Scenes of Enlightenment: Awakening Objects, Transmitting the Mind debuted at the venue, and interactive scenario-based tours allowed citizens to converse with ancient sages while walking through the site. Over four days, more than 13,000 people attended the event: they came for the festival yet took away far more than a sense of festive leisure.




Beyond the Confucius ceremony: An innovative performance of rites and music
 
Every year on Confucius' birthday, the grand Confucius Ceremony at Guiyang Confucius Academy serves as its most solemn ceremonial presentation. In 2024, the ceremony united cultural communities from north and south China, employing music, dance and recitation to interpret the core spirits of "benevolently loving others" and "self-cultivation through rites". Over the past two years, the ceremony has upheld traditions while pursuing constant innovation. In 2025, it was paired with a writing ceremony for the first time, linking early childhood enlightenment to the sage's ideals and breathing new life into age-old ritual norms. This solemn heritage has continued without interruption to the present.
 
In 2026, another form of cultural expression is taking shape. In June, the "Guizhou's Twelve Scenes of Enlightenment" Yangming Cultural and Creative Space officially opened, unveiling over 20 original products, including tea gift sets, Zhenyuan paper-cut landscape lamps, and brass paperweights engraved with excerpts from Record of the Xiang Shrine. Abstract philosophical wisdom has been turned into tangible everyday items. To date, Guiyang Confucius Academy has launched four major product series dedicated to the themes of"spiritual enlightenment, family and nation, folk customs, and the Four Life Rites," covering more than 300 items. The Academy has also incubated 23 partners and established 15 self-operated and joint-operated retail outlets. Thanks to these initiatives and products, the spirit behind traditional rites and music is no longer limited to ceremonial halls, but has entered the daily lives of ordinary people.
 
Looking back to its founding in 2012 along the Huaxi River, the Guiyang Confucius Academy has, over fourteen years, transcended its architectural existence to become a regional spiritual highland. Moving forward, the Academy will continue to follow the principle of "creative transformation and innovative development." Balancing tradition and modern exploration, it strives to deliver contemporary interpretations of ritual culture. The Academy is committed to keeping ancient rites grounded in their cultural roots and ensures new cultural expressions stay free from superficiality.