Every year, on the third day of the third lunar month, Chinese people from around the world gather in Xinzheng of Zhengzhou in Central China’s Henan province. They come to honor and worship Huangdi, also known as the Yellow Emperor, who is considered the nation’s legendary ancestor.
Xinzheng, the birthplace of the Yellow Emperor, has become the permanent home for the annual worship ceremony. The Yellow Emperor is a revered figure in ancient Chinese history and culture. He is credited with many inventions and innovations, including the compass, the calendar, and traditional Chinese medicine. He is also known for leading the ancient people from savagery to civilization.
The Yellow Emperor was the first ruler to unify various tribes in ancient China. He established the capital of Youxiong, now known as Xinzheng, on March 3 according to the Chinese lunar calendar. This day is considered the ancient National Day for Chinese people to celebrate the emperor’s significant contributions. The Yellow Emperor, along with his contemporary Yandi or Yan Emperor, are highly regarded as the joint creators of both the Chinese nation and its civilization. Chinese people traditionally consider themselves the offspring of Yandi and Huangdi. Today, the Yellow Emperor is widely regarded as a cultural hero and an important symbol of Chinese identity and national pride.
For the past 18 years, Xinzheng has held an annual ceremony to honor the Yellow Emperor on March 3 on the lunar calendar. The event, themed on shared roots, ancestry and origins, promotes peace, harmony, and unity. It has been held both online and offline, and attracts representatives from China’s Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese executives from Fortune Global 500 and China 500 businesses. The ceremony has evolved from a regional commemorative event into a grand festival for the descendants of Yandi and Huangdi to seek their roots and worship their ancestors both at home and abroad. More than a cultural gala, it is a platform to enhance cooperation and exchanges to achieve win-win advancement, local officials said.
Over the past decade, leveraging the platform of the worship ceremony, Xinzheng has attracted a total of 708 investment enterprises, with a total registered capital of 109.86 billion yuan ($15.19 billion). It has accumulated actual foreign investment of $1.58 billion and set up a modern industrial system that accelerates the growth of emerging industries such as modern commerce and logistics, food manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, electronic information, high-end equipment manufacturing, and cultural tourism.
“The worship ceremony is the most influential and important cultural brand in Henan province and a key platform for Zhengzhou to take a leading role to excel in the province’s construction,” said An Wei, Party secretary of Zhengzhou. “The ceremony plays an important role in promoting outstanding traditional Chinese culture, consolidating a strong sense of the unity of the Chinese nation and serving opening-up.”
This year’s ceremony on April 11 will explore the new characteristics of the Yellow Emperor culture in the new era. The event is expected to have more high-level trade and cultural activities with the presence of outstanding figures from different fields such as culture, science, and business. The goal is to enhance the appeal of the event to all Chinese people and contribute to Zhengzhou’s development in culture, tourism, economy, and trade.
