Sea-themed carnival draws thousands to Guanyin Mountain

By Yuan Shenggao | China Daily | Updated: 2017-11-07 08:15

Guanyin Mountain oceanic carnival was held in Xiamen, Fujian province from Friday to Sunday, showcasing the host city's rich resources and culture in ocean-themed tourism.

Part of the ongoing World Ocean Week in Xiamen, which kicked off on Nov 3, the three-day celebration featured a variety of events, including Fishermen's Cultural Day, a beach party, an international kite festival, seafood and beach soccer.

The Fishermen's Cultural Day revolved around the theme of beachcombing, offering participants more interactive experiences.

About 1,000 people participated in a beachcombing contest, collecting clams, crabs and other gifts from the beach of the Guanyin Mountain area after the tide went out.

The event brought joy especially to children, providing an ideal opportunity for family participants to increase their bonds, organizers said.

Typical local cultural elements were integrated into the events to share Fujian's maritime customs.

A traditional ceremony to pay tribute to the sea was performed during the event, representing local fishing villages' folk customs, which can be dated back to centuries ago.

The tradition included sounding a bugle to signal ships setting off and performing a lion dance.

After nightfall, the beach was still busy with a campfire party featuring music and culinary delights.

Continuing the leisure ambience, a beach music party held over the weekend offered a feast for the eyes and ears, as different styles of music, ranging from ballads and folk songs to popular melodies and rock, met different tastes.

In addition, an amateur five-player soccer tournament on the beach and on grass pitches gave sport fans another cause for revelry.

Gastronomic delights are an indispensable part of any carnival. As a coastal city, Xiamen boasts a wealth of seafood.

Jiangyoushui is a common cooking method in Xiamen that uses soy sauce and water to process fresh seafood. It formed a highlight of the oceanic carnival.

A huge pot catering for 1,000 diners was prepared on Friday, with a variety of jiangyoushui seafood shared among locals and tourists.

The celebrations took place not only on the beach, but also in the air.

An annual international kite festival attracted top players from China and abroad, as well as thousands of spectators.

This year, the top players included a team from Dalian, Liaoning province, which has won awards at an international stunt kite championship in France, and an internationally acclaimed team from Thailand.

The Guanyin Mountain coach resort served as the venue of the carnival. The resort receives more than 6 million visits every year on average. This year, total visitors topped 8 million.