US students gain deeper understanding of Confucius in Qufu

The contrast between reading about history and experiencing it firsthand was a recurring theme among the visitors. Many noted that textbooks couldn't prepare them for the sensory richness of the actual sites, such as the centuries‑old trees, the intricate traditional architecture, and the palpable atmosphere of reverence that still lingers in the halls where Confucius once taught.

"There's something completely different about standing somewhere with that much history, instead of just reading about it in a book. It made me think about how ideas can survive for thousands of years and still influence how people think about education, family, respect, and relationships today," said Haywood.

Nicole Krylov from Columbia University in New York was impressed by the Confucius statue.

"It is unbelievable how big this statue is and how the little details mean so much. We learned that the way Confucius was holding his hands means a lot since the left one is in front of the right and back in the day they would use the right to fight, so it's almost meaning peace," she said.

Madilynn Boerger from Central Michigan University first studied Confucius at the age of 14 in world history in high school.

"Coming back 7 or 8 years later and relearning those things has put me in a different place in my life. It connects to me in a different way through the ideas of piety and treating others how you want to be treated," she said.