Foreign media visit hometown of Confucius on SCO tour

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.