In Shatian Town in Maoming's Gaozhou, a thousand-year-old folk festival is drawing crowds once again.
The Zhongping Society Nianli, a traditional celebration with roots in the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279), is one of the best-known rural festivals in Guangdong province. It was listed as provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2012.
The festival is famous for its flower boat parade and torch procession. A large wooden boat, around 10 meters long and five meters high, is carried on the shoulders of villagers. Weighing over one thousand jin (1000 jin = 0.5 tons), it is passed from village to village in a relay that can last nearly ten hours.
The boat is painted with fish-scale patterns, a symbol of good harvests and prosperity.
At night, thousands of people take part in a torch procession. The flames form a long “fire dragon” through the streets, lighting up the sky alongside fireworks. For many locals, the ritual represents driving away bad luck and welcoming good fortune in the year ahead.
Nianli is also a time for family reunions. Households prepare large meals and welcome relatives and friends who travel home for the celebration.
For the community, the festival remains a powerful link between past and present.
Author: Yan Zhixiong
Revised by Huang Qini
Video Source: Publicity Department of the CPC Maoming Municipal Committee
