Kong (back,C),daughter-in-law of one of the descendants of Confucius attends a memorial ceremony for Confucius at the Confucius Tomb in Qufu, ancestral home of Confucius, in east China's Shandong Province, March 30, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

Totaling over 130 descendants of Confucius from across the world hold a memorial ceremony for Confucius at the Confucius Tomb in Qufu, ancestral home of Confucius, in east China's Shandong Province, March 30, 2008.(Xinhua Photo)

More than 130 descendants of Confucius from across the world gathered in his hometown on Sunday to pay tribute to the sage ahead of the traditional tomb sweeping day.

The descendants, all of whom bear Confucius' family name "Kong", followed their master of ceremony to kowtow and serve offerings and incense sticks to his tomb in Qufu, eastern Shandong Province.