Shandong set to host global Confucian heritage gathering

(chinadaily.com.cn)| Updated : 2024-09-23

Print Print

Shandong province, the birthplace of Confucius, is set to host a global tracing tour of Confucian temples and academies as part of the 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival.

The event will bring together scholars, experts, and administrators from Confucian temples and academies worldwide to discuss the preservation and promotion of Confucian heritage.

Shandong boasts the largest number of Confucian cultural relics in China, including one World Heritage Site, 31 key national cultural relic units, and 56 provincial cultural relic units. Among these are 21 Confucian temples and seven academies, with over 700,000 cultural relics related to Confucianism.

In recent years, Shandong has invested heavily in the protection and utilization of these cultural assets, culminating in the establishment of the world-renowned Confucius Museum.

Confucian temples and academies can be found both domestically and internationally. In China, there are 389 Confucian temples and 176 academies at or above the provincial level. Overseas, these institutions are primarily located in East and Southeast Asia.

The 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival offers a unique opportunity for scholars and experts to discuss the preservation and promotion of Confucian heritage. Participants from China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries and regions will gather in Qufu, Jining, to share their experiences and insights. This is the first time that such a large-scale gathering of Confucian temple and academy representatives has taken place.