The ceremonies held over the years to honor Confucius

On September 28, 2008, the 2008 Commemoration Ceremony for Confucius was held in Qufu City, Shandong Province to commemorate the 2559th birthday of Confucius, the great Chinese sage. The theme of the 2008 Confucius Memorial Festival in Qufu was "Benevolent people love others and strive for self-improvement."

At around 9 a.m., a sacrificial team composed of government staff, descendants of Confucius at home and abroad, clan members, experts and scholars began to slowly march toward the Confucius Temple on the Shinto outside the Confucius Temple. Each of them wore yellow Lu Jin, with a solemn face and pious eyes, is the fifth time to worship Confucius since the Duke of Qufu worshiped Confucius in 2004.

At 9:15, the Qufu sacrificial team walked along the Shinto to outside the wall of the Confucius Temple Wanren Palace. Xu Jialu, former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, unveiled the theme inscription of the public memorial ceremony for Confucius. The inscription reads: "As a human being, it is important to have a benevolent heart. Innate virtues originate from one's own body... Heaven is moving vigorously and enlightens all living beings. If you don't see it, although the old man is late, he will move forward. Although the big bird is carrying an arrow, it will move forward. Drooping angry wings fly. "Fu Peirong, a professor at National Taiwan University, said: "'The benevolent love others' comes from the Analects of Confucius, which is the core idea of ??Confucius; 'self-improvement' comes from the "Book of Changes", which means that people's virtues improve every day. These two This sentence sums up the spirit of the Chinese nation."

After the unveiling of the inscription, accompanied by peaceful music, the sacrificial procession passed through the Ming Dynasty Ancient City and passed Lingxing Gate, Shengshi Gate and Hongdao Gate. , Dazhong Gate, Tongwen Gate, Kuiwen Pavilion, Dacheng Gate, bypass the Xingtan, and come to the Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple. Middle school students dressed in "Six Arts" uniforms stood on both sides of the corridor and recited some words from "The Analects" loudly. Later, after the memorial representatives presented a flower basket to Confucius, Jiang Daming, the governor of Shandong Province, read out the memorial text written by Mr. Jin Yong, which said: "The breeze brings refreshment, and the sea and rivers are clear. The country is peaceful and the people are safe, and the world is rejoicing. Beijing Olympics, all nations follow the trend. Five continents and four seas , see my glory. The world has the same destiny, and mankind has a dream." After reciting, in the melodious ancient music, the dancers in Hanfu, holding feathers and robes, danced the public memorial music and dance "The Great Harmony of the World".

2008 is the 2559th anniversary of the birth of Confucius. The Confucian culture founded by him has gradually accumulated and become the spirit and character of the Chinese nation after being elaborated and improved by thinkers, philosophers, and politicians of all generations over the long years. It is an irreplaceable cultural tradition and is deeply integrated into the spiritual blood of Chinese people around the world. On September 28, 2009, the 2009 Jichou Year Commemoration Ceremony for Confucius was held at the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong Province, the hometown of Confucius. Tens of thousands of relevant national, provincial, and municipal leaders, Confucian experts at home and abroad, Confucius descendants, and Confucius admirers attended the ceremony.

2009 is the 2560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius. The annual Confucius Memorial Ceremony on Confucius’ birthday is the core content of the International Confucius Cultural Festival.

A welcome ceremony will be held at the south end of the new Dacheng Bridge in the Confucius Temple at 8:30. The local people formed a square formation of 10,000 people and read the classic quotations of Confucius together.

At 8:40, the unveiling ceremony of the theme of the Confucius Memorial Ceremony was held in front of the Wanren Palace wall. The famous calligrapher and painter Fan Zeng wrote the theme of the Confucius Memorial Ceremony on the spot. Subsequently, the solemn opening ceremony of the Confucius Temple and the opening ceremony of the Dacheng Gate were held.

At 9 o'clock, in front of the Dacheng Hall, relevant leaders from the country, province, and city, Confucian experts at home and abroad, and descendants of Confucius presented flower baskets to Confucius.

Shandong Province Governor Jiang Daming respectfully read the memorial inscription inscribed by the famous calligraphy and painting master Fan Zeng.

After the dance and music, the ceremony of worshiping Confucius came to an end.