In Xingning, a city in Guangdong's Meizhou region, a time-honored tradition known as the "Shang Deng" (literally meaning to put up / light a lantern) Festival is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Traditionally held to celebrate the birth of sons, this annual ritual is evolving into a dynamic symbol of social unity, gender equality, and rural revitalization.
This evolution is grounded in the festival's enduring role as a vibrant, living museum of Hakka culture. The solemn core of lantern hoisting and ancestral worship connects each family to its lineage. This gravity is balanced by the joyous energy of lion dances, resonant drumming, and folk songs that animate the streets.
The entire community gathers around shared feasts, reinforcing bonds, while unique local traditions, like the playful scramble to "grab the flower lanterns" or the competitive drinking of "newborn wine", add layers of distinctive character and spontaneous joy. Together, these elements form a powerful cultural continuum, engaging all generations and keeping the tapestry of Hakka identity vividly alive.
Where once the celebration focused on the birth of sons, today in many villages, the birth of a daughter is cause for equal honor. Families with newborn girls fully participate in the rites, from inscribing names in the clan register to seeing vibrant red symbols of girls adorn the traditional lanterns alongside white. This shift from "adding a male heir" to celebrating all new life quietly champions a more inclusive value system.
Beyond its celebratory purpose, the festival has organically become a cornerstone of community life. It functions as an unofficial town hall. When the village is most completely assembled, conversations naturally turn to shared concerns, such as repairing a road, funding a community project, or caring for the elderly. This unique synergy, where the social cohesion fostered by clan traditions meets the practical governance of local committees, creates a robust model for rural revitalization.
Looking forward, new green shoots are emerging from this ancient root. Local initiatives are adding fresh layers of meaning. There is a growing movement to exchange the crackle of celebratory firecrackers for the quiet promise of a sapling, encouraging families to plant a tree as a lasting gift to the future. Simultaneously, the festival's potential as a bridge to the wider world is being explored, with hopes of inviting outsiders to witness its unique warmth, thereby transforming a familial celebration into a shared cultural experience.
In Xingning, the lanterns raised each year do more than light up a hall. They illuminate a path where reverence for the past gracefully meets the possibilities of the future, proving that true tradition is not a static relic but a guiding light, constantly renewed.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Nanfang Plus
