Qilu Culture: Prosperous cultural treasure

Shandong Province is a major cultural province. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, both the State of Qi and the State of Lu were located within the current territory of Shandong Province, so "Qilu" has also become a synonym for Shandong. The Confucianism represented by the "Supreme Sage" Confucius and the "Second Sage" Mencius originated in the State of Lu. Besides, Laozi of the Taoist School, as well as the thinkers of the Mohist and Legalist Schools, all exerted profound influences at that time. Since then, Shandong has held an important position in the history of Chinese culture.

The fundamental spirit of Qilu culture is profound and extensive, and it serves as the foundation of traditional Chinese cultural spirit. Its main contents can be summarized as follows: the vigorous spirit of self-improvement, the patriotic spirit of valuing integrity, the benevolent spirit of carrying all things with virtue, the creative spirit of wisdom and intelligence, the enterprising spirit of diligence and bravery, the people-oriented spirit of valuing the people over the ruler, the personality spirit of being a sage within and a king without, the harmonious spirit of moderation and unity, the pragmatic spirit of seeking truth and being down-to-earth, and the spirit of righteousness and propriety of spreading virtue throughout the world. Qilu culture is a concentrated integration and convergent expression of the thinking mode, value orientation, emotional will, and practical wisdom of the people of Shandong. It originated on the basis of inheriting excellent historical culture and has been constantly reshaped and elevated according to the needs of reality. The evolution of Qilu culture has its historical process and contemporary connotations. "Innovation and reform, openness and inclusiveness, loyalty and trustworthiness, pragmatism and hard work, and being a pioneer" are the basic connotations of Qilu culture in the new era. To be more specific, patriotism, emphasis on learning, physical fitness, respect for the elderly and love for family members, and a focus on innovation are the prominent features of Qilu culture.

During the war period, the people of Shandong sacrificed their lives and made selfless contributions for the greater good of the country, thus forming a rich red culture and red spirit, which provided important resources for shaping the culture of Qilu. The people of Shandong have always had a revolutionary cultural tradition of loving freedom, advocating democracy, resisting oppression and daring to struggle. Long-term revolutionary struggles have enabled the people of Shandong to develop a great spirit of not fearing difficulties, being ready to sacrifice their lives, understanding the greater good and making selfless contributions, as well as a brave sense of responsibility. The firm ideals and beliefs, political stance and outstanding qualities of great wisdom and selfless dedication of the people of Shandong have formed the red genes of Chinese culture. With the development of the times, they have kept pace with the times and constantly innovated, providing rich nourishment for the shaping of Qilu culture in the new era.