Troupers in traditional costumes display sacrificial rites from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in music and dance performances to commemorate Mencius in Zoucheng, a county-level city in Jining, East China's Shandong province on Dec 21. [Photo/WeChat account: zouchengfabu]

A traditional sacrificial ceremony is held to commemorate Mencius at the Temple of Mencius in Zoucheng, a county-level city in Jining, East China's Shandong province, on Dec 21, which is also the Winter Solstice. 

The ceremony started at 9 am, and had more than 200 attendees including Mencius' descendants, Confucianism enthusiasts and people from all walks of life.

Troupers in traditional costumes displayed sacrificial rites from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in music and dance performances, showing people's contemporary respect for Mencius and the efforts to promote traditional culture.

Mencius' descendants, Confucianism enthusiasts and people from all walks of life attend the sacrificial ceremony to commemorate Mencius at the Temple of Mencius in Zoucheng, a county-level city in Jining, East China's Shandong province on Dec 21. [Photo/WeChat account: zouchengfabu]

Mencius (372-289 BC), or Meng Zi, was a great philosopher in ancient China. He passed away on the Winter Solstice in 289 BC at the age of 84, according to the Meng's genealogy records.

His descendants in Zoucheng have historically replaced the ceremony for the Winter Solstice with a sacrificial event for Mencius to pay tribute to his great contributions to Chinese culture and world civilization.

The official grant sacrificial ceremony was resumed in 2014 and has been held eight years in a row.