Ancient wisdom of Confucius resonates loudly with young people(4)

Engaging activities

Shandong has played a leading role in promoting Confucian culture, which is valued as an important aspect of the excellence of Chinese traditional culture.

During the Confucius Cultural Festival, the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism launched more than 150 activities including cultural performances, exhibitions and tourism projects, with most of them tailored to young people from home and abroad.

One of the activities saw 176 students hailing from 46 different countries and regions converge on Qufu to immerse themselves in the teachings of Confucius and participate in traditional Chinese cultural activities, such as tea-making.

"This event made me deeply realize that cultural diversity is the world's wealth, and cultural exchanges are a crucial pathway to achieving world peace and progress," said Cheng Shaojun, a student from North Minzu University in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

"Against the backdrop of globalization, the ideals of love and harmony advocated by Confucius still hold practical significance, offering valuable wisdom to tackle the complex issues of today's world," he said.

The Confucius Museum in Qufu has staged memorable exhibitions and diverse immersive activities such as woodblock printing, rubbings and paper-cutting, to foster a deeper connection with Confucian culture.

"The museum is a good place to study the evolution of Confucian culture; and its digital presentation of Confucius and his teachings attract young people," said Uriarte Huang.

"From the age of bamboo and wooden slips to the era of artificial intelligence, we have been fortunate witnesses along this transformative journey," Uriarte Huang added.

During the National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7, the museum welcomed an impressive 120,500 visitors, with the third day witnessing a record attendance of 23,000 visitors, the biggest since it opened in 2018.

"Traditional Chinese culture exemplified by Confucian culture is appealing to young people because it embodies the ideological core of the Chinese people, creating spiritual resonance with them," said Yang Chaoming, a professor at the Advanced Institute for Confucian Studies of Shandong University.

"The frequent 'going viral' of traditional Chinese culture among young people indicates that it is inspiring young minds to be innovative in the new era," Yang added.