On Nov 27, the replica boat was transferred to the seashore to be sacrificed to the mythical Wangye. Once on the shore, the replica boat was set on fire and the ashes were later pulled out to sea by the tide.

This year's boat, built from fir and camphor wood, was modeled on Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) warships and, at 14 meters in length, is Tong'an's largest in history. Chen Yasheng, a 71-year-old Tong'an native, took two months using traditional handicraft technics to complete the vessel. This is the fifth such vessel that Chen has built.

The sacrificial ship used in the song wang chuan ceremony in Xiamen's Tong'an district. [Photo by Cheng Jiaxin/Strait Herald]

In addition to the celebrations, Xiamen gathered experts from China and Malaysia to host a forum to study the ceremony's historical rituals and ensure cultural protection. This year a team of 77 Malaysians arrived in Tong'an for the two-day celebration. As shown by historical records, Song wang chuan has been practiced in Malaysia's Malacca State since the 19th century.

Following an agreement reached in January, Xiamen plans to collaborate with the Malaysian authorities to have the ceremony listed as a world intangible cultural heritage.