Tourists will vote on cartoon depictions of thinker and educator Confucius, in a campaign that was launched at the beginning of this month in Qufu city, hometown of Confucius in East China's Shandong province.

The city held a Confucius cartoon competition in October, to promote Confucius among the younger generation, according to the city's cultural heritage bureau.

By the end of February, more than 200 images had been entered. They will be exhibited in the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, and visitors can vote for their favorite.

The top 10 will be announced early April, said the bureau. Artists will also be invited to participate in the selection process.

Qufu city government hopes the winning pieces will embody the image of Confucius in his youth, for example, "a modest, self-disciplined gentleman who is diligent and eager to learn."

Liu Feng, deputy director of the city's cultural heritage bureau, said that the winning cartoons will be used on different tourism products.

Confucius often features in Chinese cartoons as a generic bearded old man in a robe. The selection of an image depicting Confucius in his youth would refresh people's opinions of the sage.

Born near the present-day city of Qufu, Confucius (551-479 BC) founded a school of thought that influenced later generations and became known as Confucianism. He is believed to be the first person to set up private schools in China and enroll students from all walks of life.

Confucius is regarded as a symbol of China's culture and intellectuals. There are about 1,300 Confucius temples in China and overseas.