A Confucian teacher and his six students from central China's Henan province will spend 14 days to trace the footsteps of Confucius on a "travel and learn" journey, which the ancient sage used 14 years to finish, Orient Today reports.

39-year-old teacher Yan Hezuo is a Confucianism researcher who developed a unique teaching method which he calls the "Confucius teaching method" at the Education Bureau of the city of Jiyuan. For years, Yan has dreamed of embarking on a "travel and learn" journey with some of his students.

Yan's teaching method is different from others. When Yan and his "disciples" come to the Confucian Temple at Zhengzhou, they will first burn incense to pay homage to the ancient sage. After that they will sit down in the courtyard to begin a group discussion. During the dialogue, students' questions will not be answered by Yan but by their peers, with Yan offering only hints and guidance.

"In a normal class, teachers ask students questions, but the case is different in my class. I train students to ask questions; a student who doesn't know how to ask questions is not a good student." said Yan.

His "disciples" are a mixed group of rebellious students; youngsters obsessed with online chat and games, and diligent students who disagree with traditional teaching methods. But all of them have an interest in Confucianism and are willing to follow Yan.

Yan will take his students to 11 cities in the province of Henan and Shandong, all of which are ancient cities and thought to be visited by Confucius. The journey will cover a distance of 2,000 kilometers.

Yan's activity is sponsored by Kaifeng-Toyko Art Center, which will hold an exhibition and lecture on the journey after it is finished.

Confucius, China's most famous philosopher and educator, lead his disciples to travel and stay in many kingdoms in central China some 2,500 years ago.

(CRI August 11, 2008)