Song Yingwen

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THE Sanyuesan Temple Fair of Beidi (the North Deity) in Xixiang Subdistrict, Bao’an District, is set to captivate audiences this year with its grand celebrations. The fair is listed as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage event.

Featuring main venues at Xixiang Park and the Xixiang Beidi Ancient Temple, alongside subvenues located in various cultural landmarks across Xixiang, the fair promises attendees a rich tapestry of activities.

Scheduled from April 6 to April 14, the temple fair will kick off with a grand parade covering a distance of about 4 kilometers on April 6. This route will showcase the rich historical and cultural heritage of Xixiang by passing important historical sites such as the Beidi Ancient Temple, Zhenli Street, the Qiyun Academy (built in 1885), and the Xuantan Ancient Temple.

One hundred and five teams will perform in this year’s grand parade, including 10 national-level intangible heritage title holders such as the Chaozhou Drum Troupe, the Huang Feihong Zhonglian Dragon and Lion Dance Team from Nanhai, the Yingge Dance Troupe from Chaoyang, and the Meilin Piaose Art Troupe from Wuchuan. Piaose is an art form featuring young performers dressed up as fairy-tale characters who are held aloft on hidden poles.

Another highlight of the fair will take place April 11 when the “pun choi banquet” unfolds. Before the banquet, a ceremony to welcome the return of the Beidi statue to its temple seat and the annual ritual of a roast suckling pig sacrifice will be held. Performances by national intangible heritage teams and local artistic groups will take place at the Beidi Temple that day.

Subvenue activities will run from April 6 to early May. Events will include cultural exhibitions, traditional recitation contests for students, and lion dance competitions that showcase the essence of Xixiang’s history and culture.

Beidi, the North Deity, is traditionally worshiped in southern China for his connection with water, a natural resource which people heavily rely on for farming and fishing.