As one of the highlight events of the 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival, "Look Up to A Lofty Mountain" — New Apricot Altar, Discussions by Mayors kicked off in Qufu, Shandong province, on Sept 27.

As one of the highlights of the 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival, "Look Up to A Lofty Mountain" — New Apricot Altar, Discussions by Mayors kicks off in Qufu, Shandong province on Sept 27. [Photo/Iqilu News]

At the event, Liu Qingzhu, member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and former director of the Institute of Archaeology, delivered a lecture titled How to View Confucius — Confucius' Position and Evolution in the History of Chinese Thought, in which he emphasized that Confucius' ideas belong not only to China but also to the world.

Confucius is not just a Chinese philosopher, but a global thinker, he said.

"Chinese civilization is the only continuous civilization in the world," Liu said, adding that five prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization include: continuity, innovation, unity, inclusivity, and peacefulness. He noted that these traits are closely linked to the development of Confucian thought over the course of more than 2,000 years.

Liu also stressed the enduring vitality of Confucian thought, which still holds practical significance today. He highlighted the "timeliness" of Confucian philosophy, explaining that Confucianism has evolved gradually and adapts to changes over time. However, this evolution does not represent a fundamental shift in the philosophy itself, but rather its ability to respond to changing circumstances, he added.