A grand ceremony was held Sunday in Quzhou, eastern China's Zhejiang province, to commemorate the 2,576th anniversary of the birth of the ancient Chinese sage Confucius. 

As part of the China International Confucius Cultural Festival and the 2025 Southern Confucianism Cultural Tourism Season, this year's ceremony was held under the theme of "revering the Sage, honoring the rites, paying tribute together, pursuing harmony for all."

A ceremony is held in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, to commemorate the 2,576th anniversary of the birth of Confucius, Sept. 28, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The event brought together Confucian scholars and representatives of related institutions from across China and abroad, as well as guests from South Korea, Southeast Asia, China's Hong Kong and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese-language media, with an aim to broaden the global reach of the ceremony and the Southern Confucius culture.

Since 2004, Quzhou has held the ceremony every year on Sept. 28, characterized by its focus on honoring Confucius in contemporary times. In 2011, the ceremony was inscribed on the third list of China's national intangible cultural heritage items, and recognized as a major achievement in the creative preservation and development of Southern Confucius culture. Over the years, it has drawn wide recognition from institutions such as the International Confucian Association and China Confucius Foundation, as well as active participation from people at home and abroad.

A ceremony is held in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, to commemorate the 2,576th anniversary of the birth of Confucius, Sept. 28, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

In 2024, Quzhou's memorial ceremony was, for the first time, included as part of the China International Confucius Cultural Festival. That event was jointly organized by the Shandong provincial government, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO. Quzhou's ceremony has since served as a parallel event to the event in Qufu, Shandong province, held on the same day.