JINAN -- A light and water show was held Friday in the city of Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius in East China's Shandong province.

The 20-minute show was held on water in front of a 72-meter-tall brass statue of Confucius, with famous sayings from the Analects of Confucius and life stories of Confucius presented.

The show also marked the begining of night tours at the Nishan Sacredland, a cultural attraction in Qufu that was opened to the public last year. The world's tallest statue of Confucius is located there.

A play, a music performance and night fair were also held. Traditional cultural and sports games will be available for night tours this summer.

This year marks the 2,570th anniversary of Confucius' birth, which will be grandly celebrated in autumn.

Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator and thinker, has influenced countless generations of Chinese society.