Traditional event helps Chinese people find their cultural identity

The annual worship ceremony for Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, was grandly held in the birthplace of the Yellow Emperor, Xinzheng, Henan province on Thursday, the third day of the third lunar month, which marks the birthday of the Yellow Emperor.

The Yellow Emperor, also known as Xuanyuan, or Huang Emperor, is believed as the leader of the ancient Huaxia tribal alliance and the progenitor of Chinese civilization. The worship ceremony was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Chen Yi-Ru, who is from Taipei and studying at Zhengzhou University, found the ceremony solemn and uplifting. "As a descendant of the Chinese nation, I feel confident and proud for our culture," said Chen.

At the ceremony, music, costumes, stage design and rituals all brought ancient Chinese culture to life. The Jian Gu Dance, an ancient Chinese dance of the highest ceremonial standard in Han Dynasty, was magnificently reconstructed, with dancers striking drums facing each other, changing steps, their movements graceful and the sound of drums lingering in the air.

Zhou Xinyi and Deng Nan, two girls in their twenties from Henan, played the guzheng (a Chinese plucked string instrument) during a Ba Yi Dance performance, a traditional drum-accompanied dance. Participating in the worship ceremony for the first time, they had practiced for about a week. "As a performer, I felt deeply moved during the show. I hope more people can continue to inherit this excellent part of traditional Chinese culture," Deng said.