Drizzle in a small city in east China's Shandong Province on Friday didn't dampen the
enthusiasm of about 3,500 pilgrims, who advanced in a queue more
than 300 meters long to commemorate the 2,558th birthday of
Confucius.
Heading the queue in the philosopher's hometown of Qufu were Luo
Haocai, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference, and Li Jianguo, Chinese
Communist Party chief of Shandong. Their presence suggested that
the scale of this year's ceremony was larger than ever.
Attendants also included Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of
the Macao Special Administrative Region; Kong Deyong,
77th-generation descendant of Confucius; and Yu Dan, who sparked
controversy with her televised lecture series about the Analects of
Confucius.
Kong Qidi, an 11-year-old boy with the Qufu Shiyan Primary
School and 74th-generation descendant of Confucius, lit the fire in
a bronze urn that symbolizes Chinese culture handed down through
generations.
More than 1,500 students flanking the path were chanting
snippets of the Analects of Confucius.
Acting Governor of Shandong Jiang Daming read the elegiac
address in the Confucian temple and attendants bowed to the statue
of the philosopher.
Among the attendants was Nelly Mota from Dominica, whose son is
learning Chinese. "Confucian thought is very important to mankind,"
she said, noting that in her country, some students start learning
Confucian philosophy at the age of 14.
"Confucius' philosophy can help people all over the world live
in love and harmony," she said.
"Confucius is famous in France," said Patricia Deon, a
government official in Paris. "The kindness and filial piety he
advocated not only regulate our behavior in daily life, but teach
us how to get along with others," she said.
Lei Yusong, vice head of the Chinese Culture Promotion Society
in the United States, said he had been taught Confucian philosophy
since childhood. "I am still teaching my kids the philosophy," he
said. "It has a special significance for young people in modern
society."
"The philosophy of Confucius has gone beyond time and national
borders - it is recognized as a treasure of the world and symbol of
eastern culture," said Jiang Daming. "By rejuvenating the thought
of the ancient philosopher, we hope to enhance the cultural
recognition of Chinese people living in China and abroad and boost
harmony around the world."
Memorial ceremonies were also held in northeast China's
Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces as well as in the Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region and Sichuan Province in south and southwest
China.
Confucius, born in 551 BC, was a great philosopher whose thought
held sway as orthodox ideology in China for more than 2,000
years.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2007)
