With melodious traditional music and a solemn sacrificial ceremony at Confucius Temple, the fifth Public Confucianism Festival opened in grand style on Oct 31 in the city of Qufu, Shandong province, where the great philosopher was born.

More than 800 people from all walks of life, including local residents and volunteers, took part in the opening ceremony and worshipped the great sage.

Lasting until Nov 26, the festival is designed with 20 activities including performances, lectures and exhibitions to promote Confucianism and traditional culture and greater public participation.

"The festival is an important vehicle for Qufu to inherit and develop Chinese traditional culture and attract more public engagement. Since its establishment in 2014, it has been received well among the public," said Liu Dongbo, Party secretary of Qufu. "We will foster the festival as part of the city's cultural brand with continuous innovation and development."

"This is my first time taking part in the sacrificial ceremony to Confucius and it was very sacred", said a local villager surnamed Li.

"In recent years, various Confucianism related activities have been held in my village such as traditional culture lectures and neighborhood banquets. The festival brings the elusive traditional culture down to earth so that we villagers can learn and enjoy."

The festival, inaugurated in 2014, has involved more than 250,000 participants in the sacrificial ceremony at Confucius Temple, over 90,000 people in the Confucian classics recitation activity, 490,000 people in the training on etiquette, and to an accumulated audience of over 500,000 who have watched the cultural performances and lectures.

The fifth Public Confucianism Festival opens in grand style on Oct 31 in Qufu, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The traditional sacrificial ceremony at Confucius Temple attracts crowds of spectators at Confucius Temple on Oct 31 in Qufu, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Performers dressed in traditional costumes stage the ancient ritual worshipping Confucius on Oct 31 in Qufu, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]