4,500-year-old Yan Emperor links modern neighbors

About 2,000 people, more than half of them from Taiwan, attended an annual memorial ceremony on Saturday for the Yan Emperor in what is thought to have been his hometown in Gaoping, Shanxi province.

The Yan Emperor was a legendary Chinese ruler who lived about 4,500 years ago. He is also known as Shennong, or holy farmer, and is credited with spreading farming technology, inventing tools, finding herbs and collecting grain seeds.

The eighth day of the fourth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, which fell on Saturday this year, is believed to be the birthday of the Yan Emperor. The ceremony was held at a newly renovated tomb and adjacent temple, which consists of about 300 halls covering 11 hectares.