<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" align=center><SPAN lang=EN-US><STRONG><BR>A standard portrait of ancient philosopher and educator Confucius (Xinhua Photo)<BR><BR><BR>The ceremony</STRONG></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Xinhua, September 23, 2006</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Jinan</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-US>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-US> -- The China Confucius Foundation (CCF) on Saturday unveiled a standard portrait of ancient philosopher and educator Confucius in order to give him a single, recognizable identity around the world.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The event was part of the commemoration marking the 2,557th anniversary of his birth.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The CCF unveiled the final version of the portrait at a news conference in Qufu of east China's Shandong Province, hometown of Confucius, on the basis of a draft sculpture released in June this year.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>"Acting as a symbol of Chinese history and culture, Confucius is widely known around the world. A standard portrait is needed so that different countries could have the same image of him," said CCF general secretary Zhang Shuhua.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The sculpture depicts Confucius as an old man with a long beard, broad mouth and big ears. He wears a robe and crosses his hands on his chest.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The amended portrait highlights the ancient philosopher's kindness in appearance as well as his cultured and gentle characteristics, said Professor Hu Xijia, a member of the sculpture design group.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>"We want to show a Confucius that exists in people's mind, who is a kind, sagacious and respectful person," said Hu, who started the work in January.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The draft sculpture was based on the painting of Confucius by Wu Daozi of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), together with advice from Confucian scholars, historians, artists and his descendants.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The new portrait would set the standard criteria for the image of Confucius, who had been represented in different ways when Chinese were presenting statues in foreign countries, said Zhang.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Confucius was the founder of Confucianism, which advocates the building of a harmonious society through an individual's self-refinement in manners and taste. It was promulgated by Chinese rulers since the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 25 AD) and spread into east and south <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Confucianism dominated Chinese society for centuries, and spread to <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> in the late 16th century.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Born in 551 B.C., Confucius, a great thinker, philosopher, statesman and educator, has more than 3 million descendants with Qufu as a concentration area, according to latest statistics.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>There are 2.5 million descendants of Confucius in the Chinese mainland, <st1:chmetcnv w:st="on" TCSC="0" NumberType="1" Negative="False" HasSpace="True" SourceValue="100000" UnitName="in">100,000 in</st1:chmetcnv> the <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Republic</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Korea</st1:PlaceName>, and many in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country-region></st1:place>.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Regarding Confucius as an outstanding educator, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) last year named an international prize after him -- Confucius Literacy Prize, to honor individuals and institutions which have made significant contributions to education.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>On Saturday, the UNESCO awarded the prize in Qufu, the first of its kind, to educational officials of <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Morocco</st1:country-region></st1:place> to honor their decade-long efforts in eradicating illiteracy, especially among women and children, and helping drop-out children return school.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>In an effort to promote Chinese language and culture abroad, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place> has planned to set up 100 "Confucius Institutes" around the world to help foreigners learn Chinese.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Scholars and believers around the world commemorate Confucius' birth at his hometown in Qufu every year to carry forward the Confucian spirit of benevolence and honor.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Many scholars say that the research on the values of Confucianism is conducive to the building of a harmonious society in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> and around the world.</SPAN></P>
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