Confucius' birthplace cashes in on rural tourism

Nestled at the foot of Nishan Mountain, often considered the birthplace of Confucius, in Qufu, Shandong province, Luyuan new village is making strides in rural vitalization.

Benefiting from its strategic location and cultural advantages, the village is now home to more than 180 rural homestays featuring Confucian culture themes that are in high demand year-round, Dazhong Daily, a news outlet in Shandong, reported.

To further develop tourism, a high-standard Confucian virtue demonstration block was built in Luyuan.

It has also established Confucian culture experience areas such as a Confucius post office and the Kong Mansion seals workshop. Young people returning to Luyuan have designed unique souvenirs such as Kong Mansion pastries and handicrafts.

Residents have also replaced their daily square dance routines with traditional cultural art performances reflecting Confucius culture such as a dance called The Land of Rituals and Etiquette.

The central role of Confucian culture in the village's rural tourism economy has given it a distinct competitive edge compared to other rural tourism destinations. And as more tourists came to visit, more villagers began to pay more attention to the village's image and development.

"Some uncivilized habits that were repeatedly singled out as needing to change during village meetings but never seemed to disappear are gradually disappearing," villager Kong Fanling, who runs a homestay, told Dazhong Daily.