Confucius

Confucius (551-479 BC), whose clan name is Kong Qiu, was a philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) in Chinese history. It is recorded that Confucius was born in the district of Zou, near today's Qufu city in Shandong province. He was an educator and philosopher who founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life.

His theory, Confucianism, focuses on the morality within personal life and governmental regulation, stressing well-organized social relationships and family systems as well as personal dignity such as justice, benevolence and sincerity.

For thousands of years, Confucius has been regarded as a symbol of China's traditional culture, as well as the country's intellectuals. Nowadays, Qufu holds memorial events every year to honor the great philosopher and popularize his theory to the younger generations.