Chinese Confucius museum to house over 700,000 relics

JINAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A Confucius museum under construction in the hometown of the ancient Chinese educator will be home to more than 700,000 relics, including well-known Confucius family documents, sources with the museum said Saturday.

A display plan of the museum, which is expected to open in the second half of 2018, was finalized following a meeting in Qufu City of Shandong Province earlier this month, following eight years of discussion.

The major museum complex in Qufu consists of a 11,000-square-meter display area, 7,000 square meters of warehouses and a 1,000-square-meter cultural heritage restoration center, according to deputy curator Yang Jinquan.

The items to be displayed on rotation include more than 300,000 documents of the Confucius family from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to 1948, which contain details of the family history during feudal times.

In addition, there will be more than 40,000 books dating back as early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and over 8,000 pieces of clothing and accessories from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator and philosopher, founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later Chinese generations. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life.