Experts explore Chongyang Festival customs in Guangdong

A group of experts and scholars specializing in folk culture studies from around the country visited Shantou, South China's Guangdong province, from Oct 28 to 31 to study the rich folk culture and customs associated with the Chongyang Festival.

Chongyang Festival, also known as Seniors' Day or Double-Ninth Festival, falls on the ninth day of the ninth month on the traditional Chinese calendar. The festival fell on Oct 29 this year.

Combining field research and academic discussions, the event, part of the campaign "Our Festivals", aimed to promote in-depth integration of theoretical research and local practice related to traditional Chinese festivals, according to the China Folk Literature and Art Association and the Guangdong Folk Literature and Art Association, organizers of the event.

On Oct 28, the group visited the Lianhua Mountain in the Chenghai district where people were busy climbing mountains to pray for good luck and worshiping a local deity called Xianweng, who, according to the legend, can help fulfill prayers' dreams.