China issues Confucius souvenir gift sets

JINAN -- A total of 100,000 Confucius souvenir gift sets were issued in eastern China's Shandong province Tuesday.

The sets were sold at 698 yuan (about $100) each by Qilu Bank, to both domestic and foreign buyers, said Ge Ping, assistant president of the bank.

Each one contains 198 milligrams of gold, symbolizing the height of Confucius, who was 1.98 meters tall. It also features a portrait of Confucius, decorated with carts and horses to show his journey to various states, Ge said.

The coupons are jointly made by the Shandong Tourism Development Committee, China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation and the Great Wall Media Group.

Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator and philosopher, deeply influenced many generations of Chinese society. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools that enrolled students from all walks of life. He is believed to be born on Sept 28.

This year marks the 2,567th anniversary of his birth.