Quzhou Commemorates 2,577th Anniversary of Confucius' Birth
A ceremony was held in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, on Monday to mark the 2,577th anniversary of Confucius' birth. The event incorporated modern elements into traditional rites.
Quzhou, a city in China's eastern Zhejiang province, held a major ceremony on Monday, October 7, 2026, to commemorate the 2,577th anniversary of the birth of philosopher Confucius. The event took place at the Southern Confucius Ancestral Temple and highlighted the city's approach to honoring the ancient thinker with contemporary practices.
Since 2004, Quzhou has adopted a modern interpretation of Confucius commemorations. Participants wear modern attire and perform rituals such as bowing. Offerings include grains, fruits, and vegetables, and the rites are accompanied by chanting and ceremonial music.
This year's ceremony began with the singing of "Lu Ming" from the "Book of Songs." Following this, Kong Lingli, a 76th-generation lineal descendant of Confucius, led attendees to the Confucius Cultural Park. Representatives recited passages from Confucian classics, and all participants bowed before a statue of Confucius.
Nearly 200 representatives of Confucius' descendants and clan members from 20 provincial-level regions across China, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, as well as from overseas, attended the event. The ceremony is recognized as a significant part of China's cultural heritage and was inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2011.
The commemoration was also a key activity of the 2026 Southern Confucianism Cultural Tourism Season. In 2024, Quzhou's ceremony was held on the same day as the Confucius memorial ceremony in Qufu, Shandong province, for the first time.