Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, Quzhou has focused on preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture in recent years. Keeping up with global cultural developments, Quzhou has actively looked into modern relevance of Confucian culture. The city has strengthened international cooperation with organizations such as the International Confucian Association, Confucius Institutes, and universities in China. Through comprehensive international exchanges with a diverse range of organizations and fields, Quzhou has built a bridge between the Southern Confucian culture and other cultures from around the world, consistently enhancing its global reputation.

1. Foster cultural exchange and mutual learning to promote Southern Confucian culture

Committed to telling China's stories and spreading China's voices, Quzhou has incorporated the Southern Confucian culture into the global cultural tapestry. In 2023, the city hosted over 20 international exchange events, with more than 500 international students and scholars participating, in a move to promote the Southern Confucian culture and foster mutual understanding. The city also collaborated with the Nishan World Center for Confucian Studies and Qufu in Shandong to hold events like joint ancestral worship ceremonies, as part of a strategic cooperation initiative to integrate Southern Confucianism and Northern Confucianism.

Leveraging its geographical advantage at the intersection of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Fujian provinces, Quzhou has established an academy and an alliance to promote cultural exchange among Min Studies, Xin Studies, Wu Studies, and Hui Studies, thereby broadening its cultural exchange network. The city has proactively formed cooperative relationships with the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, the China Confucius Foundation, and other organizations. At the Global Chinese Plus Conference, Quzhou signed a framework agreement on international Chinese language education and Chinese culture promotion to actively integrate into the global cultural landscape.

2. Explore diverse channels to promote Southern Confucian culture

Quzhou has explored new stories, narratives and ecosystems to promote the Southern Confucian culture. Through promotional films and short videos like "Southern Confucianism," "A Glimpse into Quzhou's Intangible Cultural Heritage," and "The Grand Memorial Ceremony for Confucius," Quzhou has presented the Southern Confucian culture to a global audience spanning over 100 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. These productions have captured attention from media outlets in countries along the Belt and Road route, such as Thailand's Siam Rath, Serbia's Politika, and Egypt's Al-Akhbar.

Quzhou has initiated the event "The Great Sage: Online Exhibition of Portraits of Confucius," inviting people to submit Confucius-related images from across the globe. To date, the collection has amassed over 3,000 submissions, including ancient texts, artworks, and sculptures provided by institutions and individuals. Additionally, Quzhou has introduced "Grandpa Nankong," a cartoon character symbolizing Quzhou, which was featured on the Mega Screen at the Times Square Plaza in New York.

3. Preserve and pass on Southern Confucian culture

Quzhou has launched the Southern Confucian Cultural Gene Decoding Project, which involves a database of 2,000 cultural elements, categorizing 154 aspects of the Southern Confucian culture, and analyzing 20 key cultural elements. This provides a solid foundation for further study and research into the Southern Confucian culture. 

A joint research project with the International Confucian Association, titled "Research on the Inheritance and Development of the Southern Confucian Lineage and its Culture," has been approved and funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China. This marks a significant step forward in the research of the Southern Confucian culture. 

Quzhou has systematically reviewed 69 high-level research findings, including scholarly books and papers, to strengthen the foundation of the Southern Confucian culture and prop up academic research and educational efforts. A series study on the inheritance and development of the Southern Confucian culture is now part of Zhejiang's cultural research program. 

To present the Southern Confucian culture in innovative ways, Quzhou has infused local characteristics and cultural resources into various art forms, including the musical "The Southern Confucianism," the themed live-action performance "Dongnan Queli," the immersive performance "Dream of Shuitingmen," along with Confucius memorial ceremonies, classical Chinese etiquette, and the Six Arts. The memorial ceremony for Confucius held at the Quzhou Confucius Ancestral Temple is among the first to been recognized an international cultural exchange program in Zhejiang province. 

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