During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there were mainly two vassal states in Shandong today, Qi and Lu. Lu is the fief of Bo birds, the son of Duke Zhou, and Qi is the fief.
Militarily and economically, Qi is stronger than Lu. The capital of Qi is Linzi, which is near Bohai Sea. Countries near the sea can make salt and develop fisheries. Qi attaches great importance to Guanzhong and commerce, and merchants from all over the country gather in Qi. Relying on the unique geographical advantages and prosperous business, Qi was rich, and Qi Heng respected the king and became the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period. In the Warring States period, Qi was also one of the Seven Heroes. As for Lu, there is no name on the list of the five tyrants in the Spring and Autumn Period. By the Warring States period, the country had perished.
However, compared with Qi, Lu has a profound cultural background, which is why Shandong calls Lu not Qi.
Luyuan was a vassal state of Kyrgyzstan, and it is the country with the most complete preservation of Zhou rites. The world says that Zhou Li is in Lu. At that time, all the vassal States had to go to Lu to learn etiquette. It is precisely because of the cultural atmosphere of its ceremonial state that Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, can be produced. Confucius praised Zhou Li all his life, hoping to realize its restoration. His theory and thought became Confucianism through the works and inheritance of his disciples.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Confucianism was only one school among a hundred schools of thought, but after Dong Zhongshu ousted a hundred schools of thought in the Han Dynasty, Confucianism became a dominant school. Due to the respect of feudal rulers, Confucianism has become the school that has the greatest influence on China culture and China thought, and this influence has been deeply integrated into the cultural genes of China people.
Shandong said that Lu is not equal to Qi, but the essence of China culture lies in Confucianism, which originated from Lu.