Landmark institutions and events in Qufu keep Confucius' teachings alive

During the summer break from July to August, Qufu in East China's Shandong province emerged as one of the top study tour destinations for parents.

As the hometown of Confucius, the city has abundant historical and cultural resources including the famous Temple of Confucius, the Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion, the historical residence of the direct descendants of Confucius.

Starting operations in 2019, the Confucius Museum is a tourism and cultural landmark in Qufu. It houses some 700,000 cultural relics including more than 300,000 historical documents of the Kong family and many artifacts used in Confucius memorial ceremonies.

"Since the museum's opening, we have been considering how to make the cultural heritage more accessible and attractive, enabling visitors to have a deeper understanding of Confucius and his wisdom," said Yang Jinquan, deputy curator of the museum.

Utilizing technologies such as virtual reality, the museum has set up a virtual museum online and offers interactive experiences.

Currently, on the museum's basement floor is the immersive cultural relics digital art exhibition named Confucius Code. The exhibition features numerous cultural elements related to Confucius and his philosophy including The Analects, The Book of Songs and pictorial stones of the Han dynasties (206 BC-AD 220).

These elements are brought to life by various digital technologies and art forms, showcasing the essence of Confucianism and the aesthetic of traditional culture.

"The exhibition is quite different from those I've seen in museums before. There are no artifacts or guides, but it's visually stunning and captivating," said 12-year-old tourist Wang Zhiling from Hebei province.

The museum also organizes some 500 social and educational activities every year. These include art classes during traditional festivals, Confucius-themed workshops in local communities as well as educational exhibitions held around the country.

"We hope to pique children's interest in Confucius in this way and better pass down our traditional culture to future generations," Yang said.

The museum is not the only scenic spot in Qufu focused on rejuvenating and promoting Confucian culture, especially to teenagers.

Local cultural authorities said they have been committed to exploring the connotations of Confucianism and using innovative methods to assist its spread in modern times.

Today, visitors to the city go beyond simply visiting Confucian heritage. They can watch spectacular performances and shows themed around Confucianism, and take part in multiple traditional cultural activities including calligraphy, paper-cutting and seal-carving.

Additionally, workshops on Confucian teachings are held in local schools and communities regularly to cultivate children's morality and incorporate traditional culture into residents' daily lives.

Confucianism, which emphasizes tolerance, integrity, coordination and harmony, is applicable in any era and provides valuable insights into challenges facing the world, Confucian experts said.

The city also engages in international exchanges and communication among different cultures and civilizations in order to promote Confucianism around the world.

Every year, two grand events — the International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations are held in Qufu, attracting officials, scholars and descendants of Confucius from home and abroad.

These international events have become vital platforms for the world to better understand China and foster dialogues among different civilizations, said Liu Xubing, vice-president of the Confucius Research Institute of China.

Founded in Qufu in 1996, the institute has established a research base for learning and exchanges between Chinese and other civilizations, as well as a center for Confucianism research and communication overseas and its branch in South Korea.

It is also home to an experience base developed by the Confucius Institute Headquarters in 2014, which aims to spread Confucianism and traditional culture among young students worldwide.

Spanning about 18,000 square meters, the base consists of two experience areas and houses more than 20,000 copies of Confucian classics.

Visitors can learn about Confucius' life story and thoughts as well as the global influence of Confucianism through an array of exhibitions, while they are offered diverse cultural activities including Chinese tea ceremony and pottery-making, Liu said.

So far, the experience base has received some 15,000 visits from the Confucius Institutes of countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

From left: A cloisonne incense burner from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644); a bronze Boyi (a type of food vessel used in sacrificial ceremonies) from the Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-256 BC); a gold and silver gibbon-shaped belt buckle from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC); and a horse sculpted from yellow jade from the Warring States Period are among relics held by the Confucius Museum. CHINA DAILY