Gongcheng in Guangxi province: Tens of thousands of Yao people reveled in the rain in honor of Guangong in the stockade village
From June 14 to 16 of 2016, Guan Yu Temple Fair and Sasanqua Culture Festival were ceremoniously held in Gongcheng Yao autonomous county in Guangxi province. Tens of thousands of Yao ethnic people converged at Wenwu Square in Gongcheng city to hold various activities including one-thousand people made sasanqua on the birthday feast, tens of thousands of Yao ethnic people reveled with singing and dancing, performing Guangong opera on the theatrical stage built in Guan Yu Temple, cleaning and wiping out dust on the statues of Guangong in the hall of Guan Yu Temple, going cruising in the Yao mountain city with Guangong surrounded by people, and so on.
Delicately beautiful Yao stockade village in Gongcheng city, Guangxi province
Guan Yu Temple and Confucian Temple of the Yao ethnic group in Gongcheng city
The statue of Guan Yu enshrined and worshiped in Guan Yu Temple in Gongcheng city
On 8:00pm in 15th, there are “many people sasanqua drink carnival” held at the Wenwu Square. The singing was loud and clear on the stage decorated with colorful lights against fireworks lighting up the whole night sky. Even a sudden rain pouring down could not resist the people’s spirit of carnival and enthusiasm. Infected by the people festively singing and dancing offstage, foreign friends couldn`t help dancing to blend in the joy of ocean.
On the 7:30am in the 16th, a solemn sacrifice ceremony was held in Guanyu Temple in Gongcheng city. Then, the crowd carried the status of Guangong out for a parade circling around the stockade village of Yao ethnic group, followed closely by forty square arrays bearing with distinct local characteristics such as the escort, lion dance teams, a team of girls of Yao ethnic group, an sword dance team of the aged and so on.
Yao people devoutly wiped out the dust on the status of Guangong and Zhou Cang on the annual Guangong Bath Day
Yao people went on a pilgrimage in Guangong Temple in Gongcheng city
The scene of jubilation for tens of thousands of Yao people reveling in the carnival on that evening in Guangong Temple, Gongcheng city
The cultural scholar Mr. Zhu Zhengming was beating the Yaoshan drum in the stockade village of Yao ethnic group in Gongcheng city in hope of all Yao people leading a happy and prosperous life.
Guangong Temple in Gongcheng city was built in the third decade of Wanli period in the Ming Dynasty (1603) with over 400 years of history by far. Now, it belongs to a state-level key unit of relic’s protection.