General's Banquet draws bustling crowd

Video by Liu Xudong

The eagerly anticipated General’s Banquet attracted a bustling crowd to Dapeng Fortress in Dapeng New Area on Thursday. In addition to local participants, the banquet also drew a significant number of visitors this year.

The General’s Banquet has its origins in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when it was held to welcome victorious generals returning home. Today, it serves as the highlight of the eight-day Dapeng Qingjiao activity, a traditional folk event in Dapeng that was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage in Guangdong Province in 2007.

The Dapeng Qingjiao activity, held every five years, is a special ritual for the local community to pay tribute to heroic figures and worship Mazu. During the activity that ended Thursday, various events took place, including praying for blessings, parades, traditional performances, chanting, animal releases, and the General’s Banquet.

An aerial view of people sitting at dinner tables at the General’s Banquet — a traditional banquet held every five years — at Dapeng Fortress in Dapeng New Area on Thursday. The banquet accommodated over 400 tables and served more than 4,000 attendees, including local residents, villagers living abroad, donors, and tourists. The General’s Banquet was first held by General Lai Enjue during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) to treat soldiers and local residents during the Chinese New Year and other festivals or after he won a war. The banquet has become a traditional custom at Dapeng Fortress and is now the last-day event of the eight-day Dapeng Qingjiao activity, one of the grandest traditional folk activities in Dapeng. Photos by Liu Xudong