NC State Represented at 2,568th Anniversary of Confucius

NC State was represented in an annual ceremony honoring the great thinker, educator, and founder of Confucianism in ancient China. Anna Dunaway, Director of the Confucius Institute, was invited to give remarks during the four-day event in Quzhou, China to celebrate the ancient emperor’s contributions to education and society.

In the Song Dynasty (1129), descendants of Confucius in northern China followed the emperor to the south and took residence in Quzhou. Since that time, Quzhou has been the headquarters of the Southern Confucius Ancestral Temple, a place dedicated to the heritage and lineage of Confucius.

Since 2008, the Quzhou government has invited Confucius Institute directors from all over the world to attend a special annual ceremony honoring Confucius and his contribution to education and society.

Dunaway and a delegation of 23 people from 9 different countries met with with Mr. Kong Xiangkai, the 75th direct descendant of Confucius, the Mayor of Quzhou, and other government leaders and to learn about education and government development in Quzhou.

“Many people think that Confucianism is a religion, but it is more of a philosophy that has helped citizens learn how to live and act,” Dunaway said. “Confucianism is an important aspect in Chinese culture and is still influential in modern China as it explains filial piety, harmony, justice and relationships.”

The Confucius Institute at NC State opened in 2007 and works to support Chinese language and cultural programs at NC State and in the community. The Confucius Institute helps NC State students, faculty and staff learn more about Chinese culture, offers study abroad programs to China, offers a state-wide Chinese language contest and partners with many business, government and educational organizations to help create a more global North Carolina.

To view the Quzhou news report about the ceremony in Chinese click here.