From September 26 to 28, Foshan Ancestral Temple welcomes visitors from around the world to Foshan Ancient Town in Chancheng District, Foshan City, for a millennium-spanning cultural encounter.
As a key landmark of Lingnan Guangfu culture, the Foshan Ancestral Temple Museum will host a series of events during this period marking the 2577th anniversary of Confucius' birth. As one of the largest Confucius commemoration events in Lingnan, it brings together age-old Confucian traditions and local intangible cultural heritage.
The highlight will be the Confucius Memorial Ceremony on the morning of September 28. This grand ritual will blend Confucian rites and music with Guangdong's intangible cultural heritage. A Qilin dance will open the ceremony. Dressed in traditional costumes, young students will perform solemn ritual dances and recite excerpts from The Analects. Young children will take part in ancient teacher-honouring rituals, embodying the time-honoured Chinese virtue of respecting educators.
Beyond the solemn ceremonial rites, the innovative immersive programme "Confucius' Open Class" will bring ancient Confucian thought out of classic texts and into interactive, hands-on experiences.
A debate academy will also be set up for discussions on universal themes such as learning versus reflection and righteousness versus personal gain. Visitors may join stamp-collection challenges and enjoy a wide range of educational activities.
Authors: Lu Yao, Zhou Huan
Photos: Foshan Ancestral Temple, Dai Jiaxin
