Visitors to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games may be greeted by quotes of ancient Chinese sage Confucius if a proposal from his hometown is adopted by the Beijing organizer.

 

Confucian organizations in Shandong Province in east China is proposing five well-known remarks of the Chinese philosopher, selected by more than 40,000 netizens over the past three months from Analects, to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG).

 

Analects is believed to be a composition of the late Spring and Autumn Period. It collects maxims and short discussions between Confucius and his disciples.

 

Shandong's deputy governor Huang Sheng submitted a list of the quotes to BOCOG officials at the World Confucian Conference, which kicked off Friday in Qufu city -- hometown of Confucius, saying the remarks that have influenced China and the world for centuries will fully reflect Chinese people's hospitality to upcoming athletes and guests.

 

The quotes include "When a friend comes from afar, is that not delightful?", "All men are brothers", "Do to others as you would be done by", "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbors", and "In carrying our rites, it is harmony that is prized."

 

The official English version is yet to be determined if the quotes are approved.

 

The Organizing Committee of the World Confucian Conference, the International Confucian Association, and some Chinese websites jointly launched a campaign in July, inviting people to select five quotes that best demonstrate Confucian thoughts from 20 remarks recommended by ten confucianism experts.

 

Confucius, born in 551 BC, was a great philosopher whose thought held sway as orthodox ideology in China for some 2,000 years.

 

Confucianism offers references for solution to many complicated social problems, and many of Confucius' notions have been recognized as "dictum" by peoples around the world.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2007)