Ceremonies on Monday commemorate the birth of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province, home of the great Chinese thinker. [Photos by Liu Xiangqing and Yang Guoqing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Ceremonies on Monday marked the birth of Confucius 2,571 years ago in Qufu, Shandong province, home of the great Chinese sage.

"Dancing to commemorate Confucius is one of the rites of Confucianism," said Yang Chaoming, director of the Confucius Research Institute of China.

People around the world who can't join in the ceremonies can log on to an online platform where they are able to complete the 10 procedures of commemorating the sage, including presenting flowers.

Commemoration ceremonies were also held in Beijing; Changsha, Hunan province; and Changchun, Jilin province, among others.

Ceremonies on Monday commemorate the birth of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province, home of the great Chinese thinker. [Photos by Liu Xiangqing and Yang Guoqing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Confucius (551-479 BC), lived in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).

He was the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life. He is believed to have been born on Sept 28.

For disciples, he was the living embodiment of a sage who leads others to virtue. They collected many of his sayings and quotations and compiled them into a book which came to be known in English as the Analects.

Ceremonies on Monday commemorate the birth of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province, home of the great Chinese thinker. [Photos by Liu Xiangqing and Yang Guoqing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Ceremonies on Monday commemorate the birth of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province, home of the great Chinese thinker. [Photos by Liu Xiangqing and Yang Guoqing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Ceremonies on Monday commemorate the birth of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong province, home of the great Chinese thinker. [Photos by Liu Xiangqing and Yang Guoqing/for chinadaily.com.cn]