At the Confucian Temple in Qufu, Shandong province, a ritual takes place in commemoration of renowned ancient philosopher Confucius. [Photo by Ju Chuanjiang/China Daily]

To commemorate the greatest thinker and educator of China, the 2014 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival will be held in Qufu, a city in southwestern Shandong province, also known as Confucius's hometown.

The annual festival is a large international celebration integrating academic exchanges, culture, tourism, economy, science and commerce.

It has been held around Confucius's birthday - September 28 - since 1984.

The primary purpose of the festival is commemorating Confucius's great contributions to Chinese culture. It also aims to strengthen international cultural exchanges and promote cultural heritage and national identity.

Since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the thought of Confucius has extensively influenced China and other neighboring countries. Over the past 2000 centuries, people have held all kinds of activities to commemorate this sage.