Confucius hometown throws challenge to foreign visitors

International tourists to Qufu, hometown of Confucius, in East China's Shandong province, will not have to buy tickets to the city's three most famous cultural sites if they can recite some sayings from the Chinese philosopher.

The ticket for a single visitor to the three Confucian sites - the Temple of Confucius, the Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion is 150 yuan ($24). These three places have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.

Foreigners can visit the sites for free if they can correctly recite five sentences or sayings from the work "Analects of Confucius" in 10 minutes, in Chinese, English or native language of the visitor.

The winners will also be awarded a certificate, which can work as ticket.

Qufu launched the same service for domestic visitors in May 2013. Over 170,000 tourists took the challenge, and more than 63.2 percent passed the test.