A delegation of 37 media agency representatives from SCO countries begin a two-day tour of Shandong province's Qufu, birthplace of Confucius, on Saturday evening. [Photo by Xiang Wenjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

A delegation of 37 media agency representatives from Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries started a two-day tour of Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius (551-479 BC), in Shandong province on Saturday evening.

As a follow-up to the inaugural SCO Media Summit in Beijing a day earlier, the tour was designed to provide opportunities for the media to better explore and understand China through an array of traditional cultural activities.

Priyanka Tikoo, deputy executive editor of the Press Trust of India, transcribes classical quotes from The Analects, a record of Confucius' ideas and sayings. [Photo by Xiang Wenjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

When speaking about a dinner served in the style of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), Priyanka Tikoo, deputy executive editor of the Press Trust of India, said it was the most fascinating part of the tour's first day.

"This place (Qufu) is really amazing. It's beautiful, but the best part of the experience has been the dinner because it took us back through the history of another culture," she said.

Her view resonated among other attendees.

Wearing a Han Dynasty robe, Iryna Akulovich, general director of the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (center), enjoys traditional Chinese cuisine. [Photo by Xiang Wenjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

Iryna Akulovich, general director of the Belarusian Telegraph Agency, said the rituals they witnessed at the dinner are not commonly seen in her home country.

"It's different, first of all, from traditional Belarusian cuisine, where our beloved dishes consist mainly of potatoes and meat," she said. "The dishes here had very interesting sauces and spices, which make it both sweet and tasty."

Having previously studied and worked in China, Munkhtuul Banzargch, editor-in-chief of Mongolia's Montsame News Agency, also shared her opinion on the dinner, saying she felt like she had stepped back in time.

"I felt like I was acting in a film, going through time to the era when Confucius was alive and where people were not allowed to chat over a meal," she said.

When asked about her first impression of Qufu, Banzragch spoke about the city's serenity. Unlike many metropolises that have been negatively affected by rapid urbanization, she noted how Qufu is still "a land of idyllic beauty".

"Considering its serenity, it's no wonder Qufu is the birthplace of Confucius," she said.

In addition to the dinner, the media group also participated in activities such as transcribing classic quotes from The Analects — a record of Confucius' ideas and sayings — with other similar activities scheduled for the next day.

Confucius, who was a scholar, educator and philosopher, founded a school of thought that proved to be deeply influential on later generations. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes.