Ceremony held to honor Confucius
Today marks the 2,558th birthday of Confucius, one of China's greatest thinkers and educators. A ceremony has been held in the philosopher's home town Qufu, in the eastern province of Shandong.
3,000 guests from around the world came to pay their respects.
Every year on 28th, September, people gather here to celebrate Confucius's birthday.
Qufu honored its most famous son, one of the world's most influential educators and philosophers.
The annual ceremony has been held since 1984 and is a big cultural event in China.
Confucius is an important symbol of Chinese history and culture—connecting Chinese people at home and abroad.
This year, the public chose five of the sage's most famous principles for living, and recommended them to the 2008 Olympic Organizing Committee to carry out the theme of a People's Olympics.
