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![15-November-2018 [Diane Watson]](https://monumentaustralia.org.au/content/directory/thumb/Confucius-79343-103878.jpg "15-November-2018 [Diane Watson]")
The statue of Confucius, a gift from the China Society for Promoting Guangcai Program and other contributors, commemorates the 150th anniversary of Ararat and its long standing relationship with China.
A small miniature sculpture of the Great Wall of China inside the Heritage Centre also commemorates the anniversary.
Canton Lead is unique in Australian cultural heritage. It is the site upon which the city of Ararat was founded in May 1857. Ararat is the only city in Australia to be founded by Chinese. For the first five weeks it was referred to as Canton Lead, then as Mount Ararat, and then shortened to Ararat. The city of Ararat has strong ties with Australian Chinese and, with the Chinese Overseas Chinese Bureau in the cities of Xinhui and Taishan in the See Yup area of Southern China. Ararat is recognised in China as a special heritage site.
The city was founded by a party of 700 from the See Yup area of Canton province who landed at Robe South Australia aboard the 1,146 ton American clipper, F P Sage, April 24 1857 who sailed to Australia to work on the goldfields. Ararat is the richest shallow alluvial goldfield discovered according to records at hand.
Location
| Address: | 31 - 33 Lambert Street, Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre, Ararat, 3377 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.279209 Long: 142.925455 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Settlement |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 1857 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 2007 |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | February-2008 |
|---|
Confucius
Chinese New year celebrations in February 2008 (Year of the Rat) were highlighted by the unveiling of the statue of Confucius.
This 2.18m stone statue weighing 3,200kg was a gift from the China Society for Promoting Guancai Program, Chinese Overseas Friendship Association, People's Government of Jining City - Shandong Province, Greenking Group Pty Ltd, Shandong, Yongsheng Real Estate Development (Group) Co. Ltd, Jiang Zhaoqing - Managing Director of 3CW Chinese Radio, China Association for Returned Overseas Chinese, China Confucius Research Association, Australian Confucius Society Inc, Qian Qiguo and Du Yueye - President and Executive President of Australian Confucius Research Society Inc in recognition of Ararat's 150th anniversary and also Ararat's long standing relationship with China.
The launch of the Confucius statue was appropriate because the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre celebrates the founding of Ararat by Chinese gold miners who came to Ararat from Southern China. Over the last 150 years Ararat's links with China have continued to grow and strengthen, links through friendship, educational and cultural exchanges.
Confucius was a revered Chinese thinker and social philosopher, whose teachings and philosophy have deeply influenced Chinese thoughts and life. His philosophy emphasised personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. This gift is just one more link in that special relationship between the people of Ararat Rural City and the Chinese people.
Confucius joins statues of Willie Ah Hon, one of the first goldminers and Wat A Che, the second interpreter on the goldfields, in the grounds of the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre. The gift of Confucius also included The Analects of Confucius (4 sets) and The Four Books and The Five Classics (5 sets) which can be viewed in the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre.
Confucius Proverb : "If you are planning for a year sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people."
