The Overseas Student Affairs Office organized a 3-day cultural visit to Qufu, Zoucheng, and Nishan in Shandong province from June 1 to 3, 2018, for scholarship winners, in order to improve the Chinese proficiency of international students and enrich their study and life in China.
Upon arrival in Shandong, students were warmly received by Principal Jin and staff of the Nishan Academy. At nightfall of the first day, all students and faculty were shown around nearby villages by staff. Away from the hustle and bustle in cities, everybody felt peaceful and pleasant while strolling down the quiet streets in the fresh air.
The next day, the group visited the Meng Family Mansion and Temple in Zoucheng, the hometown of Mencius (Mengzi). The Mencius Temple is the place to make offerings to Mencius, who was the disciple of Kong Ji, the grandson of Confucius. The current structure was rebuilt during the reign of Kangxi Emperor (1662-1722). The temple is home to a historical complex, as well as spectacular ancient trees. There are up to 430 trees of various types with the oldest ones of over 900 years. Appreciating those resilient trees and admiring their unyielding spirits, one could not help thinking of what Mencius aptly observed, “A great man shall not be corrupted by wealth, swerved in poverty, or bent by power.” The Meng Family Mansion was resided by direct descendants of Mencius. Stories that “Mencius’s Mother Moved Three Times” and “Mencius’s Mother Cut Cloth in Half” by the tour guide evoked deep admiration for the great mother among the group .
On the third day, the group visited the Family Mansion, Cemetery and Temple of Confucius (Kongzi) in Qufu, the hometown of Confucius. Confucius lectured at the “Apricot Altar” in Qufu and started the Confucius culture, leaving deep influence on Chinese history. The Kong Family Mansion was inhabited by direct descendants of Confucius; the Cemetery of Confucius dedicated to Confucius and his family has the longest traceable historical lineage in the world. The Confucius Temple, a holy place of Confucianism, used to hold sacrificial rituals in ancient China. And yet it was not just a place for sacrificial activities, but also a school to carry forward Confucius thinking and promote cultural education.
After the cultural visit, students all said that they learnt the Confucian culture, as well as language and cultural knowledge unmentioned in textbooks, which was eye opening. A worthwhile trip indeed.
Excerpt from students’ Summary：
Mr. Ounheuane KHAMDENG.
Student ID: 17151902.
SHANDONG PROVINCE
On June 1st2018 – 3rd2018, our foreign students from BFSU have visited SanDong Province where is well-known as a place of Confucius’s hometown. The first of the trip, we took a high speed train around 2 hours (15:15 pm – 17:15 pm) from Beijing to Sandong Province and we stayed at a hotel where was held a forum on world civilizations. The first place that we visited is the temple of Mencius; it was a place where a people of all the later generation offered sacrifice to Mencius. The second area is Confucius Temple and Academy at Nishan Mountain, the central peak is home to the temple of Confucius, constructed in memory of the birthplace of Confucius. The third place is golden sound and jade vibration gateway, this gate was built in the seventeen years under the reign of Jiajing of the Ming dynasty. Mencius once evaluated Confucius in this way; Confucius synthesized all previous teaching and brought them to their culmination. The fourth, we visited a mansion where his first son and the first grandson of the Confucius lived, then went to the Cemetery where the family and descendants of Confucianism are buried. Indeed, Sandong provice is a place where told us the history of the Confucius who was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Chinese history. As I am student, I really enjoy visiting the great place in history. Thanks BFSU.
International Business School, BFSU
Master: Berik Tabynbayev 17021918
June 05, 2018
The trip to Shandong
The Beijing Foreign Studies University organized this wonderful and extremely exciting three days journey to a small county in Shandong province, the hometown of famous and well-known all over the world Chinese philosophers Confucius and Mencius.
This honored place is one of the popular destinations for many travellers, attracting around five million visitors per year both from China and overseas. It also welcomed us with the warm saying: “有朋自远方来不亦乐乎”, making us feel like we came to friends home.
Whole environment there permeated with spirit of fundamental and essential knowledge about wisdom. Citations from Confucius and Mencius analects can be found everywhere, enhancing the feelings that people continue to keep them in their minds to follow.
Beautiful buildings in traditional architecture constructed with the purpose to memorize their merits and contributions convey the miracle atmosphere of that epoch. They also serve as a highest-priority destination to visit for all Chinese leaders to tribute the ancestors. Annually in month of May people from Japan and South Korea come here as well to commemorate these two greatest personalities.
Generally it was interesting and informative trip to Shandong, which allowed us to touch the history and get into the atmosphere of daily life of greatest Chinese philosophers.
