Ceremony helps Chinese 'find cultural identity'

Annual event promotes ancient traditions while creating business opportunities, Zhang Zhao reports.

Combining traditional Chinese culture and modern fashion, a ceremony in the Xinzheng area of Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan, honored the Yellow Emperor, a legendary Chinese tribal leader widely recognized as a common ancestor of the Han Chinese.

The 2016 Ancestor Worshiping Ceremony in the birthplace of the Yellow Emperor was held on March 9, or the third day of the third lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar. The date marks the birthday of the legendary Chinese figure.

Xinzheng is believed to be the Yellow Emperor's birthplace and the capital of his kingdom more than 5,000 years ago. The tradition of worshiping him on his birthday dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).

Organized by the provincial government and multiple governmental agencies and organizations, the first Ancestor Worshiping Ceremony in the Birthplace of the Yellow Emperor was held in 2006. It continues to attract more than 10,000 participants from around the world every year.

The ceremony has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

There were nine events held during the ceremony, including gun salutes, flower and incense offerings, a prayer, carols and traditional dances.

"The event has become a national ceremony over the decade, a project that help build the spiritual paradise for all Chinese," said Wang Zhang, chairman of the Zhengzhou committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Employing the theme of peace and harmony, the ceremony will "help the Chinese people worldwide find their cultural identity", he said.

"The Yellow Emperor is one of the originators of the Chinese civilization. The worshiping ceremony is a way to pass down the excellent Chinese culture and promote it. With the combined efforts of all Chinese, we will give birth to a renaissance of the nation."

Wang said the annual event has also led to opportunities for businesses. Trade fairs have been organized every year to coincide with the event, with contracts worth more than 1 trillion yuan ($154.4 billion) signed over the past decade.

"Many of the projects have brought in investment to some promising industries and will generate high benefits," said Wang.

"We will continue providing preferential policies and high-quality services to companies and investors."

The 10th China (Henan) International Investment & Trade Fair, held from March 8 to 10, highlighted e-commerce, urban planning and the Belt and Road Initiative.

The ceremony is also a platform for cross-Straits and cultural exchanges.

Each year, the event attracts participants from Taiwan, including many celebrities, to visit the origins of the Han Chinese. Many overseas Chinese societies have contacted the ceremony's organizers seeking support for their own ceremonies that celebrate the Yellow Emperor.

A Chinese organization in San Francisco held a ceremony on March 9, using the same theme, ritual elements and procedures as the Zhengzhou event. The San Francisco event attracted more than 1,000 participants.

A series of other cultural activities were held in Zhengzhou to mark the occasion, including the International Yellow Emperor Culture Forum, painting and calligraphy exhibitions for domestic and overseas Chinese, operas and drama shows and book fairs.

The forum, held from March 7 to 8, sought ways of integrating traditional Chinese culture with modernity by discussing the values and morality of the Yellow Emperor culture, as well as the wisdom of governing a nation.

A film contest highlighting the traditional Chinese culture held at the beginning of the year organized an award ceremony on March 7.

People can also participate in the event honoring the Yellow Emperor by visiting the website of the Birthplace of the Yellow Emperor scenic area. Local TV and radio stations aired live broadcasts of the ceremony.

Last year, the organizer cooperated with Chinese Internet giant Tencent to develop a ceremony-themed smartphone game.

This year, the partnership introduced an upgraded version of the game.

Contact the writer at zhangzhao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/08/2016 page10)