ZHENGZHOU, China, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 19, the third day of the third lunar month, the ancestral worship ceremony was held in the Yellow Emperor’s hometown of Xinzheng, Zhengzhou, for the Bingwu Year (2026). Continuing the theme of common roots, ancestry and origins and promoting peace, harmony and unity, the event attracted around 5,000 participants from China and abroad to honor Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor, cultural ancestor of the Chinese nation, and pray for national prosperity and world peace.
Considered the common ancestor of the Chinese people, the Yellow Emperor is believed to have lived around 5,000 years ago and is considered a founding figure of Chinese civilization. The annual ceremony held on this date has become a major opportunity for Chinese communities around the world to trace their roots and strengthen their cultural identity.
The ceremony includes nine rituals: ceremonial greetings, flower offerings, hand cleansing and incense, collective homage, reading of the tribute, choral praise, ritual music and dance, blessings for the nation and prayers for harmony between heaven, earth and humanity, blending tradition and modern expression.
During the choral segment, singers and children from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan performed the Ode to the Yellow Emperor. During the blessing segment, 19 representatives of Chinese descendants from around the world placed a Bingwu commemorative seal on a landscape scroll, expressing their wishes for peace and stability. The ceremony concluded with nine guests lighting a ceremonial torch while wishing doves and balloons were released.
The event was jointly organized by the People’s Government of Henan Province, the Henan Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots and the China Yan Huang Culture Association.
Over time, the ceremony has become a symbolic and influential cultural mark for the global Chinese community. On the same day, overseas Chinese groups in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia and Brazil held parallel ceremonies. In a world facing increasing challenges, this age-old tradition and its global participation continue to unite the shared cultural sentiment of Chinese people around the world and their hopes for the future.
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SOURCE Yellow Emperor Ancestor Worship Ceremony
