Highlights

China Daily | Updated: 2016-04-07 08:13

A memorial ceremony for Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, has been held annually since 2006 in Xinzheng to pay homage to the legendary hero and founder of the Chinese civilization.

Huangdi, whose personal name was said to be Gongsun Xuanyuan, was born in Xinzheng, Central China's Henan province, about 5,000 years ago. He has been recognized as the earliest leader to unite China and the ancestor of the Han Chinese, according to Chinese mythology.

The ceremony was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item by the State Council in 2008.

The number of sponsors at the event has increased over the past decade. In 2006, there was only one sponsor, the Henan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Later, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the All China Taiwanese Association joined the organizing committee in 2009. The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the Henan provincial government joined in 2012 and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council joined in 2013.

In 2007, Olympic champion Deng Yaping lit the flame for the ceremony's "sacred fire altar", which expresses the hope that the Chinese civilization will be passed down through the generations.

The ceremony has also attracted Taiwan politicians and dignitaries, including Lien Chan, then chairman of the Kuomintang, Wu Poh-hsiung, former chairman of KMT, and Yok Mu-ming, chairman of Taiwan's New Party.

Hundreds of Chinese and overseas companies, associations and institutions, as well as more than 100,000 Chinese people, have participated. China Central Television has done global broadcasts of the ceremony on several occasions.

For many, the event promotes the traditional Chinese culture and instills a sense of belonging for overseas Chinese. It has also played an important role for promoting the peaceful reunification of the mainland and Taiwan, the government said.

The ceremony has won many honorary titles and awards. From 2009 to 2012, it was named one of the most internationally influential worship activities by People's Daily.

China Daily