CHINA:IT'S EXAM time in China, as more than 10 million hopeful candidates sit the all-important matriculation exams for universities across the country.
As in previous years, anxious parents are turning to the man credited with providing the basis for China's examination system, the venerable philosopher Confucius, for a helping hand.
Confucius, who lived from 551-479BC, is undergoing a major revival in China. The Communist Party is promoting a return to traditional Confucian values to fill a spiritual void left by strong economic growth.
At temples of Confucius all around the country, crowds of parents burn incense, light candles, make offerings and pray for success. They leave notes saying: "Please help my child pass the exams."
These were often the sites of examinations in imperial times and are seen as very auspicious with the current round of exams about to begin in many parts of China.
At the Temple of Confucius in Beijing, visitors have to pay 188 yuan (€17) for a wooden tablet on which to write their wishes, although the shelf on which to place them was full, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Confucius', or Kongqiu's, philosophy, which dominated Chinese society for centuries, and spread to Europe in the late 16th century, advocates achieving harmony through self-refinement in manners and taste.
Confucius' philosophy fell foul of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) but has enjoyed a popular revival. Under President Hu Jintao the masses are expected to learn a "socialist sense of honour and shame" as a way of combating the eight "disgraces" creeping into society.
His teachings formed the basis for a later system of crucial examinations which decided who would join the all-important civil service. China still relies on examinations for officials as well as entrance exams for students, but Confucius himself no longer features in the questions asked.
Parents take the examinations extremely seriously. They book their offspring into hotels for the duration of the tests, and stand guard outside exam halls to stop any noisy trucks or honking taxis.