Ceremony marking 2,573rd birth anniv. of Confucius held in Qufu, east China

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 28, 2022 shows a ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)