A record 100,000 visitors from China and Southeast Asian countries participated in the 151st celebration of song wang chuan, a longstanding traditional festival in Xiamen that was held at the city's Huazang Temple in late November.
Song wang chuan, a festival listed in China as a national intangible cultural heritage, has been historically practiced by fishermen in homage of Wangye, a folk deity, and is held at three to four year intervals.
The festival prays for safe sea travel, an abundance of fish, and peace. It dates back over 500 years and is prevalent throughout Southeast China and nearby countries, such as Malaysia and Singapore, on account of historic cultural and mercantile interchange.
This year's ceremony started on Nov 26, when crowds gathered to witness a lavishly decorated ship parade through Xiamen's Tong'an district. The crowd was energized by 90 dance and music groups from China and abroad that offered spectators an array of vibrant artistic performances.
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Thousands join the song wang chuan ceremony in Xiamen's Tong'an district in late November. [Photo from Taihainet.com]
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