The North California Confucius Ceremony Committee held a gratitude banquet in Santa Clara on Sunday, January 11th, to express sincere thanks to the volunteers and supporting units who had dedicated themselves to organizing the long-running event, and to appreciate everyone’s efforts in promoting and passing on traditional Chinese culture.
Dignitaries attending the banquet included Deputy Consul General Zhu Yongchang from the San Francisco Consulate, Director Zhuang Yashu from the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center, team leader Guo Huizhen, as well as committee members Wei Dezhen, Li Yuanlin, various advisory council members, overseas Chinese association leaders, past organizers of the Confucius Ceremony, principals, and committee members, with around 80 people in attendance to acknowledge the volunteers’ contributions.
During his speech as the chief organizer of the 44th Confucius Ceremony, Shi Guangting humorously mentioned the challenges faced during the preparation process this year. Financially, they needed to raise about $22,000 to $23,000, and the full amount was not secured until early September. There was also a shortage of personnel, including performers for ritual dances and music, and instructors, but with the help of several teachers, parents, vice presidents, and past organizers, they managed to fill the gaps, even achieving a surplus of musicians for the first time in years. He specially thanked Teacher Ma for her full support, who stayed in the Bay Area for the entire month of September training students, along with many other teachers who devoted long hours to guide and mentor.
Shi Guangting also shared experiences of overcoming multiple “crisis moments” during the preparation period, such as unexpectedly finding missing ceremonial items and last-minute replacements for performers, ensuring the ceremonial procedures were carried out seamlessly. Despite moments of pressure and misunderstandings that led to thoughts of quitting, he decided to persist with the encouragement from the former president and various overseas Chinese elders. With everyone’s concerted efforts, they successfully completed the Confucius Ceremony. He summarized this year’s journey with the phrase “Starting slow, but we finish strong.”
Shi Guangting further expressed to Dajiyuan that as long as he believes it’s the right thing to do, he will strive to accomplish it. The greatest reward he felt was the realization that as long as one works diligently, there will always be people willing to lend a helping hand voluntarily. The significance of the Confucius Ceremony itself garnered support from all sectors due to its profound implications.
Deputy Consul General Zhu Yongchang from the San Francisco Consulate pointed out that the guests in attendance were mostly prominent leaders from various overseas Chinese communities in North California, highlighting the long-standing significance of the Confucius Ceremony in the overseas Chinese community. The North California Confucius Ceremony is one of the earliest annual Confucian rituals organized overseas, having run uninterrupted for over forty years. It serves not only as a source of pride for the Chinese community but also holds deep historical and cultural value. By encouraging student participation and honoring exemplary teachers, the Confucius Ceremony has positive effects on both Chinese language schools and mainstream educational districts, fostering cultural exchange and setting a good example for the community.
Zhuang Yashu, the Director of the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center, stated that the gratitude banquet symbolizes the successful completion of this year’s Confucius ceremonial rites. She praised Shi Guangting, the chief organizer, and his team for their meticulous planning and cohesion during the preparation process. She also noted the grand scale of this year’s ceremony, which attracted participation from the mainstream community and political figures, helping more people understand Chinese culture and the spirit of respecting teachers and ethics. On behalf of the Overseas Chinese Committee and the Overseas Chinese Education Center, she thanked all committee members and volunteers for their dedication and urged everyone to continue passing on the spirit of respecting teachers and ethics overseas.
During her speech, Yu Aizhen from Qi Lu Hall recognized the hard work of Shi Guangting and his team and thanked the San Francisco Consulate, the Overseas Chinese Education Center, past organizers, the Chinese School Union, and Qi Lu Hall for their ongoing efforts in preserving Chinese culture. She also expressed special gratitude to all volunteers, donors, and overseas Chinese officials, and thanked Lin Meilian for her longstanding support with alcoholic beverages, looking forward to even greater achievements in the coming year.
President Fu Qijun of the North California Chinese School Union stated that the gratitude banquet marks both the successful conclusion of this year’s Confucius Ceremony work and a new beginning. He hopes that the overseas Chinese community will continue to work together to create a brighter future for Chinese language education and the promotion of Chinese culture in North California.