Quoted and revered by many, Confucius' wisdom has transcended
scores of generations and cultures.
Sunday his enduring legacy was celebrated when more than 40,000
people in Hong Kong attended the memorial ceremony for the 2558th
anniversary of the great thinker's birthday.
Hong Kong citizens in
traditional Chinese dress at a ceremony celebrating the 2558th
anniversary of Confucius' birth, on Sunday, October 7, 2007. The
event attracted more than 40,000 participants.
The ceremony was part of the ongoing celebrations of the 10th
anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
The sacrificial ritual ceremony for Confucius included Ode to St
Confucius, performed by a troupe from the city of Qufu, eastern
China's Shandong province, where Confucius was born.
"Many of the Confucian thoughts have proven truths for the
governing of a country, for the proper behavior of a human being,
as well as for the harmonious development of a society," Tong
Yun-kai, chairman of the sacrificial ritual ceremony's organizing
committee and president of the Confucian Academy based in Hong
Kong, said.
"Many great values of Confucian thoughts have gained positive
recognition even from State leaders."
He said the ceremony is expected to help further promote China's
traditional culture, unite Chinese people home and abroad, better
position Chinese culture and promote peace in the world.
"I know very little about Confucius," Paula Wong, a Hong Kong
citizen, said.
"The ceremony taught me a lot about Confucian thought and
China's rich traditional culture.
"I think I'm developing my interest in Confucianism and Chinese
traditional culture," she said, adding that a better understanding
of Confucianism and Chinese culture would encourage Hong Kong
people to love the motherland more deeply.
Confucius was a great thinker, educator, politician and founder
of Confucianism in ancient China.
Statistics indicate that there are 156 Confucian academies and
more than 1,300 Confucian temples in 54 countries and regions.
(CRI.cn October 8, 2007)
