THOUSANDS of students and parents flocked to temples yesterday to pay their respects to the Chinese thinker-philosopher Confucius, ahead of his birthday this Friday.

And no time is more apt than now - the current examination period in the schools - to make fruit and paper offerings to Kong Zi, as he is known to the Chinese: He is, after all, believed to bestow luck and mental acuity to those sitting for examinations.

Petitions typically peak at exam periods, at the start of a new school year or any time when the devotee believes his or her academic performance is on the wane.

Read the full story by April Chong and Liaw Wy-Cin in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.