On November 28th, the grand exhibition"The Journey of Practicing the Way:Confucius Traveling among the States" made a splendid debut at the Henan Museum. Co-hosted by the Henan Museum, the Confucius Museum, and the Jining Museum, this exhibition brings together 197 precious cultural relics (sets) from 28 cultural and museum institutions across the country. We sincerely invite audiences to follow the footsteps of the ancient sage and comprehend the original aspiration, perseverance, and pursuit that this wise man inscribed with his steps on the Central Plains over two thousand years ago.

In 497 BCE, Confucius, inspired by the spirit of the Duke of Zhou, set out with his disciples on a journey to disseminate the Way. For 14 years they endured an arduous journey fraught with hardships and setbacks, yet their music and recitations never ceased. They traveled among the states of Wei, Cao, Song, Zheng, Chen, Cai, and Chu, proclaiming the ideals of Ren (benevolence) and Li (ritual propriety). This expedition of idealists, later known as "Traveling among the States", saw the great thinker, statesman, and educator moving between the realms of ideal and reality. His philosophical system grew ever more refined through the interplay of teaching, learning, and practice. Today, that river of thought still flows ceaselessly, day and night, over the very lands he once measured with his own steps, and it has become deeply woven into the lifeblood of the Chinese nation.The exhibition is divided into three major sections: "Seeking the Way: Between Ideal and Reality", "Upholding the Way: Propriety Practiced in the Central Plains", and "Inheriting the Way: The Eternal Sound of Lyres and Songs". Integrating a variety of display methods such as cultural relic exhibits, scene restorations, and multimedia interactions, it creates an immersive cultural feast for the audience.

More than two thousand years ago, Confucius traveled all over the land to promote his doctrines, and ultimately achieved the spiritual nirvana of Confucianism. Confucianism has been elevated to a core gene of Chinese civilization, exerting an enduring influence that lasts to this day. His spirit of engaging with the world, defined by the conviction of "striving to do what one knows to be impossible", continues to inspire and encourage us to forge ahead courageously. Whether you are an enthusiast of traditional culture, a history researcher, or an ordinary audience in search of spiritual sustenance, you can find resonance and enlightenment in the philosophy of dealing with the world and the principles of self-cultivation through this exhibition.