A new television series celebrating stories of China, this week featuring Confucius' hometown of Qufu City, Shandong province, has started showing on the UK's public broadcasting service, BBC Two.

The documentary series has six 60 minute episodes and runs from Jan 21 to 25. Written and presented by historian Michael Wood, "The Story of China" explores the history of China, the world's oldest continuous state, from the ancient past to the present day.

Wood and his crew visited many cities in China filming scenes that reflect China's distinctive character, such as the Qin family reunion in Wuxi, when 300 relatives gather to worship their ancestors on Tomb Sweeping Day, and the dramatic night ceremony held in the Shaolin Temple in Henan province to memorialize ancestors.

They also journeyed to Qufu, where they captured the city's architecture and Confucian culture. The city is the home of Confucianism, which rests on the belief that human beings are fundamentally good, teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor, especially self-cultivation and self-creation.

Michael Wood is a historian well-informed about China's past, including the history during the Tang, Yuan, Ming dynasties and the heyday of the Qing Dynasty. He has also presented the documentaries, The Story of India and The Story of England.

Qufu is well known for the Confucius Temple, which holds a memorial ceremony for Confucius every year. The Analects of Confucius, a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius, has a substantial influence on Chinese and East Asian thought and values.

Edited by Owen Fishwick

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Historian Professor Michael Wood [Photo by Gerry Branigan/ Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Historian Professor Michael Wood (L) on location for his six-part BBC Two series 'The Story of China'. [Photo by Gerry Branigan/ Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]