On Sept 28, a ceremony (仪式) was held in memory of the 2,572nd birthday of Confucius. It took place in Qufu of Jining city, Shandong province. Shandong is the home province of this great Chinese thinker. Confucius (551-479 BC) lived in the Spring and Autumn Period. His thoughts continue to deeply influence (影响) Chinese and other cultures around the world. At the end of 2019, there were 550 Confucius Institutes and 1,172 Confucius Classrooms in 162 countries and regions (地区), according to Xinhua. They improve international understanding of Chinese language and culture.