The producers of a cartoon series that will feature the ancient Chinese philosopher and educator Confucius are seeking the help of designers from around the globe to create the sage's image.

Shenzhen Phoenix Star, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-listed Phoenix Satellite TV, said it would pay 500,000 yuan (about $65,000) for the design it liked best.

The company is working with the China Confucius Foundation to produce the 100-episode cartoon series, which is part of the latter's efforts to promote Confucianism. The series, with each episode lasting 13 minutes, will tell the story of Confucius' life, the formation of his school of thought and how he enlightened his disciples.

"We've been working to promote Confucianism in different ways and cartoons are a popular and effective way to put across the essence of Chinese culture to overseas audiences," Wang Daqian, deputy secretary-general of the foundation, said.

The government-backed organization, based in Jinan, East China's Shandong Province, was established in 1984 to raise funds for Confucian studies at home and abroad.

Shandong was the birthplace of Confucius, the sage who founded Confucianism, a philosophy based on harmony and peace and constituting the essence of Chinese culture.

However, the "standardized", official portrait of Confucius unveiled by the foundation last year is considered too dull to be made into an animated image.

Wang said the producers had an additional 2 million yuan to pay for a script.

The idea of Confucius in cartoon has been welcomed by animators, Zuo Jin, president of the Shenzhen-based Shenbi Animation Co who first proposed the series, said.

"Potential buyers from the United States, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Spain and Israel have all expressed their interest," Zuo said during the ongoing third China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair.

He said the network of Confucius Institutes teaching Chinese around the world had made the sage more popular.