Bow to Confucius ends Fukuda visit

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (fifth from right) stands behind his calligraphy in Confucius's hometown of Qufu, Shandong Province, yesterday. Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi (fourth from left) was present too. The four Chinese characters wen gu chuang xin mean "innovating through reviewing old knowledge". The term probably comes from Confucius' teaching of wen gu zhi xin, which urges people to acquire new knowledge by pondering over the old. AP