Liancheng Parade (Celebration of Lantern Festival)
Source：www.chinadaily.com.cn
The Liancheng Parade is a folk entertainment activity held in Liancheng county of Longyan, Fujian province, that prays for good weather, peace and prosperity for local people.
The Zougushi Parade features children in traditional Chinese opera costumes and makeup on a sedan carried by 22 young men. At 10 o'clock on the morning of Jan 14 of the lunar calendar, the contest begins with a bodhisattva sedan featuring precious umbrellas, colored flags, and a Shifan drum band surrounded by tens of thousands of villagers and tourists.
Go straight to arrive at the “Heavenly Palace” tent and leave the second tent of “Gushi” and then the blunderbuss will be fired, bringing an offend to the first parade, or Zougushi.
The second parade will be held on Jan 15 of the lunar calendar, when the procession marches into the stream in the village. The drum band will splash water onto each other until they are completely wet, then the blunderbuss, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, will be fired three times. Participants will then swarm into the water and walk against the current.
Regardless of the cold weather, deep water, sharp stones and slippery moss, the contestants will move forward and get up immediately if they fall down. They won't stop until they arrive at the finish line.
Actually, many find pleasure in the activity. They can work out during the competition. It can even be considered a unique folk sport and recreation activity during Spring Festival.
