[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhang Yi, a middle school student from Yantai, East China's Shandong province, cut paper to portray Confucius as a venerable elder with thoughtful eyes and a bamboo slip in her hand.

For her, Confucius is a wise teacher who guides her on how to live, act, and grow. She learned that junzi — noble men — are not merely distant figures in ancient texts, but are embodied in every kind, generous, graceful, joyful, and healthy person one encounters in everyday life.

The 2025 China International Confucius Cultural Festival welcomes everyone to Qufu, Jining, East China's Shandong, from Sept 27 to 28. Voices from around the globe share their perspectives on this great sage.