Houston Community News >> Taiwan Celebrates Confucius Birthday
9/28/2007 -- All Confucian
temples around Taiwan celebrated the 2,557th birthday anniversary of Confucius,
China's greatest sage and teacher yesterday. Outstanding teachers were cited on
the same day, which is also the Teachers' Day in Taiwan.
The family of Confucius held a private ceremony at the Confucian Temple at the
Dalongdong (Talungtung) district of Taipei at 5 a.m.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin hosted a public ceremony attended by officials from
the Taipei City Government, educational organizations, and parents who want
their children to have the best possible education.
Interior Minister Lee Yi-yang paid respects on behalf of President Chen
Shui-bian.
Groups from neighboring Japan and Korea as well as those from the United States
and other nations also took part in the ceremony.
Mayor Hau quoted an official of the United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to cite Confucius' contributions to the progress
of human society and culture.
Hau said Confucius does not belong only to Chinese people but to all people in
the world.
Pupils from Dalong Elementary School performed the traditional plume dance in
ancient costume.
Students from Taipei Kaiping Culinary School replaced senior chefs to prepare
the 27 courses of Chinese dishes commonly used during Confucius' era.
City government officials said the takeover by the students indicates the
passing of the torch to the younger generation.
Members from one of Japan's moral study organizations came to Taipei for the
annual occasion for the 36th straight year.
A separate Japanese group promoting Confucius' philosophy and teaching methods
has attended the ceremony for 33 years in a row.
At the end of the ceremony, they took turns to read different verses of
Confucius' teaching aloud in commemoration of the great teacher.
The private ceremony of Confucius' family was led by
Kung Tsui-chang, who was born in 1975 as the sage's 79th lineal descendant. He
is a grandson of Kung Teh-cheng, Confucius' 77th descendant.
China made a lineal descendant of Confucius a ceremonial official with a
government position about ten centuries ago in the perpetual inheritance system.
The government of the Republic of China led by the Kuomintang formally
designated a descendant of Confucius as the "ceremonial official for the holiest
teacher" with a monthly salary in 1935.
This is currently the only perpetual inheritance position in the republic.
Kung Teh-cheng moved from Chufu of Shandong Province in China, the hometown of
the sage, to Taipei along with the KMT government in 1949.
All Confucian Temples in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung
and Pintung held similar commemorative activities.
The Confucian Temple in Taipei is holding a series of programs as centerpieces
of the 2007 Dalongdong Cultural Festival activities to be staged at the
Dalongdong district -- home of the Confucian Temple and Baoan Temple.
An exhibition of Confucian classic artifacts will run from Sept. 27 through Dec.
15.
Traditional Chinese delicacies and snacks will be displayed and offered to
visitors
Commemorative activities are also being revived in China in recent years in
honor of Confucius' spirit and the principle of offering equal educational
opportunity to all people without discrimination.
Contributed by China Post