Zhanjiang and The Guangong Modao Ceremony

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Legend said demon was prevailed in this part of China, The emperor send Guangong over to look after the situation, and the demon was eliminated after 7 days of hard fight. to intimidated and scared the other evils away, so on the 15th of Lunar May, Guangong sharpened his huge long knife on that day with the rain water that was permitted from heaven, coming down to this day, many area in southern China make celebration to praise Guangong on today, especially the small Dongan village in Zhanjiang, "we celebrate Gunangong day for more than 800 years here" an old man told me. I was late for the ceremony as the parade was almost ended when I get to the village, said all the statue of different deities had been collect from the 2 temples in the village early in the morning, and marched through the village with couple of carriages. luckily I still caught the second part of the ceremony after all the statues had been placed inside a makeshift shrine where locals could give offering and pray. next to the shrine surrounded by the crowd, a priest imitating Guangong, swinging a huge knife and drawing circle across the open space while the crowd cheering for more action. He then sliding the knife over the flat plate of sharpening stone next to a huge bowl of water. this ceremony ended with an hour non-stop explosion of fire cracker, and people opt to touch the sharpening stone and the bowl of water for good luck. On the other end of the open square place an oven for offering incense and paper gold. but the most spectacular sight was in the middle where more than 600 roasted pig on display, an offering to Guangong who brought safety and good fortune to the village. the fragrance was immense while walking in between those crispy skin browning objects...my mouth was watering!!! The catch for this ceremony according to the legend was " good fortune would be grant from Heaven if there is rain after the knife sharpening". believe it or not...it pouring heavily right after they had packed the roast pig home!

Beside the most celebrated figure Guangong, Zhanjiang has other interest to offer, being one of the colony town in China by the end of 19th century, similar to Hongkong, Zhanjiang had been rented to France for 99 years, and return back to China after the 2nd world war. unfortunately with the evil event of cultural revolution and the great leap forward, beside the Vidor Cathedral，you wouldn't seen any trace of the French was being exist. and there is a exhibition in the city museum told this history from the Chinese angle. there are some local culture like the stone-dog statue, that could be find in many places in Zhanjiang region, still no one could say the exact purpose and meaning for the usage of stone-dog, that could be find inside the house, on the roof, window, for corner stone, front of the door, and even in the field. some people argue that it wasn't even a dog but some deity beast. anyways...most people believe it should be something for krama, for protection etc.



note

Guangong is one of the most popular deity worship by the Chinese for his brave and righteous character.

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Ceremony
Nice photo

[curenyige]

thank