A ceremony was held to commemorate the 2,572nd birthday of Confucius in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Sept 28.

Confucius temples across China have been holding ceremonies in recent days to remember the sage.

Confucius (551-479 BC) lived in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). He was the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life. He is believed to have been born on Sept 28.

His disciples collected many of his sayings and quotations and compiled them into a book known in English as the Analects which has deep influence over Chinese culture and society.