Chinese president Xi underlines morality during Confucius site visits

BEIJING, Nov. 28 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for morality to be developed across society, building on what is useful in traditional moral standards and discarding what is unhealthy.

Xi made the remarks on a just-concluded five-day tour of east China's Shandong Province during which he visited Qufu City, which lies near the birthplace of ancient philosopher Confucius, or Kong Zi. His teachings centered on peace and social harmony.

Xi visited the Confucius mansion, the residence of descendants of Confucius, and the Confucius Research Institute as part of a tour which ended on Thursday.

The development and prosperity of Chinese culture is one of the preconditions for China's great rejuvenation. The moral standards passed on by forefathers should be inherited, adapting ancient forms for present-day use and weeding through the old to bring out the new, he said.

The president called for morality to be promoted among the people, cultivating moral judgement and sense of responsibility, and enhancing their abilities to practice morality.

People should be led to pursue lives where moral standards are valued, respected and abided by, he urged.

"Our nation will be full of hope as long as the Chinese pursuit of a beautiful and lofty moral realm continues from generation to generation," according to Xi.