The Dujiangyan Confucian Temple in Chengdu, Sichuan province, hosts a doctoral and master's thesis defense on Monday. Photo provided to China Daily

The Confucian temple in Dujiangyan, Sichuan province, played host to a doctoral and master's thesis defense on Monday. It is the first time that a thesis defense was held at a Confucian temple, according to the organizer.

Four doctoral candidates in Chinese History at Sichuan University joined and passed their thesis defense in the morning. Another four master's candidates in the same major passed the thesis defense in the afternoon.

"Taking the thesis defense here is a great honor for us, because we studied Confucianism and like the atmosphere at this place," said Zhong Yaqiong, one of the doctoral candidates, whose thesis is on the study of the Confucian classics in Song Dynasty (960 - 1279).

"All the thesis this year are about Confucianism, so we choose to hold the thesis defense at the holy place for Confucianism, making the defense more 'tasteful'," said Shu Dagang, director of the International Confucian Institute of Sichuan University and deputy dean at the School of History & Culture (Tourism) of Sichuan University.

Shu said holding the thesis defense at the Confucian temple is also to show the gratitude and respect to the Confucianism predecessors.

The Dujiangyan Confucian Temple has been acting as an academy for Confucianism since it was built in the Five Dynasties (907-960). The temple has been trying to restore the traditional etiquette system and preserve traditional culture since it reopened to the public in May last year, according to Deng Shijian, director of the temple.