Confucius museum to be built in E China

Construction on a Confucius museum recently began in east China's Shandong province, local authorities said Tuesday.

With an investment of 500 million yuan (79.4 million U.S. dollars), the museum, located in Confucius' hometown, the county-level city of Qufu, which is administered by the city of Jining, will cover 56,135 square meters, according to the Jining Tourist Information Center.

A total of 110,000 pieces of cultural relics and 260,000 archived materials about Confucius and his families will be showcased when the museum is completed in three years.

Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator and philosopher, founded a school of thought called Confucianism that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life.