Ulambana Festival--a Folk Ceremony of Longyan With a history of 560 years, Shizhong Ulambana Festival of Longyan is held on mid-October of years of Rat, Ox and Tiger in Chinese lunar calendar. It comes off every decade, and has been held for 56 times. During this large-scale colorful folk ceremony in commemoration of Xie An--the Holy King of Zhengshun who won military honors in Feishui Battle, people pray for good weather, national stability and happiness of all peoples, ample harvest, and harmony among neighborhood. During the festival, folk-custom activities of various characteristics are held, such as "Tour of Inspection by the Holy King of Zhengshun", "Zhu Xi’s Introduction of White Cloud Hall built in song dynasty",molding of models of multicolored outdoor pavilions,fountains of flower garden and pond, lights with various imaginative works, couplets hung on the columns of a hall and horizontal inscribed boards, and Singing Different Tunes by different opera troupes etc. Running Folk-Tale Pageant in Liancheng It is a recreational activity of the folks who pray for good weather, national stability and happiness of all peoples. Running Folk-Tale Pageant is divided into two parts (races). The first part is held on the fourteenth day of the first month of the lunar year. It begins at around 10 A.M. that day with children in opera costumes standing on a sedan chair carried by 22 young adults, surrounded by Buddha sedan chairs, Wanmin umbrellas, colored flags, and ten-instrument drum corps, with guns being fired all the way and tens of thousands of villagers and tourists looking on. It ends when the Canopy of Heaven Palace is out of joint with that of Folk-Tale. For the second part held on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year, the parade of Folk-Tale marches towards the stream in the village, then the drum corps splash water to each other to get wet through, then three guns are fired,the Canopy of Folk-Tale swarms into water,and walks against the current. The fierce competition goes on despite the cold weather, deep water, and slippery river stones and they rise if they fall down to the river. It does not end until they arrive at the goal. With people seeking fun and improving their health, it is a unique sports and recreational activity for celebrating Chinese New Year. |