China is awarding a University of Hawaii at Manoa scholar of Chinese philosophy the 2013 Confucius Culture Prize.

Roger Ames recently received the award at the Sixth Annual World Confucian Conference in Shandong, China.

The prize is sponsored by China’s Ministry of Culture and the provincial government in Shandong, where the ancient philosopher Confucius was from.

They established the award in 2009 to honor institutions and individuals who have tremendously contributed to Confucian studies around the world.

The university said Friday Ames has been a Manoa faculty member since 1978. He received a 2012 Regent’s Medal for Excellence in Research and other awards.