Over 40 youngsters from abroad 'initiated' at Confucian temple

"I was greatly impressed."
So said Dario Rivera after he was initiated at a coming-of-age ceremony held at Taipei's Confucian Temple late last month.
"There never was such a grand, dignified initiation in my country, Mexico," Rivera said.
The 16-year-old boy attended the rites－in full accordance with Confucian rules that have been upheld for more than 2,000 years.
So were more than 40 other youngsters from abroad, aged from 16 to 20, who took part in the four-hour ceremony. Altogether 103 young men and women participated in the uniquely Chinese initiation, organized and sponsored by Rotary International District 3520.
It's part of the Taipei Rotarians' youth exchange program. Those initiated are all children of members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taipei or foreign students learning Chinese here.
Other features of the ceremony included the cleansing of the participants' hands in a golden bowl, the beating of the drum to get the initiation under way, participants' oral reports on their coming of age, a performance by a Confucian musical group, and the wearing of hats with pins inserted by guardians.
Only those who came of age were allowed to wear hats in ancient China. Pins had to be inserted to keep the hats in place.
Confucius was China's greatest sage and the founder of Confucianism, which was made a state religion by the Emperor Wu Ti of the Han Dynasty.


1. sage: Who is a perfect person.
2.oral report: It means a report which is not written on the paper , just tell the report to others by mouth.
3. in accordance with: It seems like obey.


The coming-of-age ceremony is an important part in Chinese culture , especialy the ceremony which be held at Confucian temple. I really iook forward I can attend this ceremony in the future.