Experts: Discovering local characteristics helpful for enriching traditional Chinese festivals

A team strains with the paddles in a dragon boat race in the Longgang River, Shenzhen, in South China's Guangdong province. Wu Jun / For China Daily

Discovering more local characteristics of traditional Chinese festivals in different places will be helpful for the development and prosperity of traditional Chinese culture, said Chinese folk custom experts at a seminar in Lingwu city, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

The seminar was held by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association during the Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day.

After viewing a 646-year-old sacrificial ceremony in Lingwu city, Cao Baoming, a consultant of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, said he was impressed by the whole process and unique characteristics of the ceremony.

Along with other experts at the seminar, Cao called for discovering various resources of Chinese folk customs for studies so as to offer a feast of folk culture with distinctive features to the public.

Experts said various innovative ways should be adopted to promote the traditional Chinese festivals and draw wider public participation.

As to the protection of ethnic festivals, Lin Jifu, a professor of Minzu University of China, said more studies should be conducted and more books and audiovisual work on the culture of the ethnic groups be introduced to the public as well.

Hou Yangjun, director of the the liaison department at the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, said the association has held such cultural events for 13 consecutive years in many places across China, such as Heilongjiang province, Shaanxi province, Henan province, etc..

The Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association is planning to hold similar seminars and cultural activities in May this year to mark the Dragon Boat Festival.