The 2026 Cross-Strait Confucius Culture Spring Festival opened on March 31 in Qufu, Shandong, promoting the joint carrying forward of Confucian culture across both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
“As long as compatriots on both sides of the Strait work hand in hand and with one heart, Chinese culture will not only continue uninterrupted, passed on from generation to generation, but also is sure to shine even more brilliantly in the new era,” said Zhang Zhijun, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits.
Zhou Yangshan, former convener of the New Party, stated that for more than 2,500 years, the light of Confucius’ thought has illuminated the East Asian Confucian society and has also become the moral standard for people's conduct. Compatriots on both sides should utilize the wisdom of Confucian thought, firmly advocate concepts of benevolence, harmony, peace, and cooperation, and work together for national reunification, prosperity, and development, bringing real wellbeing and hope to people on both sides.
Kong Chuichang, the 79th-generation direct descendant of Confucius and president of the Chinese Greatest Sage Confucius Association in Taiwan, said that at the event, the warmth of culture reduces the distance in hearts, and the depth of shared kinship bridges the width of the Strait. This is the most distinctive value of the Spring Festival in our era. “Let us use the Spring Festival as a bridge, culture as a medium, letting the wisdom of the Sage cross the Strait and the memory of the nation be passed from generation to generation.”
Yu Xiaoming, president of the China Confucius Foundation, stated: “‘Both sides of the Strait are one family’ is by no means just a slogan; it reflects the blood ties of compatriots who share the same roots, language, and ancestry. We hope to work together to promote peaceful development across the Strait and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
Every year, Confucius temples in various places across both sides of the Strait hold rituals to honor Confucius, commemorating the great thinker, educator, and founder of Confucianism. These ceremonies have also become important links for fostering affection and increasing consensus among compatriots on both sides.
This year, more than 900 Taiwan compatriots, young people, experts, scholars, and Shandong fellows from over 20 groups and associations in Taiwan gathered in Qufu, donning traditional attire to perform rituals in honor of Confucius and recite Confucian classics. The resonance of shared culture across the Strait lingered over the holy city for a long time.