Leizhou, a county-level city in Zhanjiang City, South China's Guangdong Province, held a stone dog cultural event to provide a dynamic and immersive cultural experience on January 1, 2026.
Visitors can participate in hands-on workshops, such as stone dog painting, polymer clay modeling, and rubbing-making, under expert guidance, to experience the craftsmanship of intangible cultural heritage firsthand. Exquisite demonstrations of traditional crafts, including stone dog carving and Leizhou Kiln pottery, showcase the ingenuity of local artisans at cultural heritage booths.
Creative booths offer modern interpretations of stone dog culture, such as blind boxes and keychains, transforming the ancient heritage into portable treasures. Local delicacies, including leaf-wrapped cakes, shrimp cakes, and Wushi cannon-fired fish, provide a taste of Leizhou's vibrant daily life and culinary traditions.
Far from being ordinary sculptures, stone dogs are a folk epic carved in stone, symbolizing Lingnan culture and maritime civilization.
Some stone dogs stand tall, howling at the sky with solemn dignity, embodying the ancestors' resilience and commitment to safeguarding their homeland. Others are charming and gentle, reflecting the people's aspirations for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and prosperity. Each chisel mark and decorative pattern carries the wisdom of ancient Leizhou artisans and the unique code of Lingnan folk customs.
Enduring a millennium of wind and rain, the Leizhou Stone Dogs have become a vivid representation of traditional Chinese cultural concepts—reverence for ancestors, respect for rituals, and harmony between humans and nature. They stand as a testament to the enduring spirit and cultural legacy of Leizhou.
Reporter: Chen Wen
Photo: Chen Wen
Correspondents: Wu Zhimin, Zhong Weiqun
Editors: Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
