Birth of Boluo (national intangible cultural heritage)

The Birth of Boluo (God of the Sea) is a traditional event that has been celebrated since the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and boasts a history of more than 1,000 years.

The birthday celebration lasts from the 11th day to the 13th day of the second month in Chinese lunar calendar. People from miles around flock to the Nanhai God Temple, praying for blessings during the period. Traders also take the opportunity to sell handcrafts and daily necessities, hence the origin of the temple fair, which is now the most influential of its kind in the Pearl River Delta region.

A dragon dance performance is staged at the 2019 Birth of Boluo celebration.

The most spectacular scene during the event is when people from the neighboring villages clean the statues of the god's five sons and carry them in sedan chairs to the temple on the 13th day of the second lunar month. The awe-inspiring marching team consisting of people holding colorful flags and taking weapons to safeguard the statues. The villagers along the route will pay their tributes to the five gods and await their blessings.

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