Sirerol Gonzalez Noel, a member of the "A Date with China 2024 – Meet Shandong" international media tour, learn to make shadow puppets in Qufu, East China's Shandong province, on June 2, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of foreign correspondents and social media influencers based in China visited Qufu, a county-level city of Jining in East China's Shandong province, from Sunday to Monday, to explore and discover the fascinating aspects of the birthplace of the renowned ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius.

The media guests were offered an opportunity to engage in a slew of hands-on activities featuring intangible cultural heritage of the region, providing them with a deeper understanding of the local customs and craftsmanship associated with the legacy of Confucius.

These activities included learning the art of making Kong Family pastries, experiencing the traditional Kong Family Mansion shadow puppetry, practicing the technique of stone rubbing, and making thread-bound books.

Sirerol Gonzalez Noel, a member of the "A Date with China 2024 – Meet Shandong" international media tour, tries his hand at the Kong Family Mansion shadow puppetry in Qufu, East China's Shandong province, on June 2, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]