Recently, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College held the "Our Festival • Huachao" event on the lake - heart island in the campus. The event was bustling with people, featuring activities such as flower - viewing, arrow - throwing, riddle - guessing, and club exhibitions. The golden trumpet tree forest on the island was in full bloom, and teachers and students came together to embrace the spring.
The Huachao Festival, also known as the "Flower God Festival" or commonly referred to as the "Birthday of All Flowers", was once one of the "Eight Festivals of the Year" along with the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid - Autumn Festival, and Double Ninth Festival. It is usually celebrated in the second lunar month. During the Tang Dynasty, the Huachao Festival and the Mid - Autumn Festival were collectively called "Huachao Yuexi" and were extremely popular.
The Flower God Ceremony was one of the highlights of the event. Members of the Hanzhihua Zhang Hanfu Club wore the Hanfu representing the twelve "Flower Gods". Led by Zhu Yingbei, the deputy dean of the School of Humanities and Communication, they completed the offering ceremony following the procedures in Zhou Li • Chun Guan, recreating the ancient blessing scene of "Huachao Jiao Chun". After the ceremony, college students in Hanfu started a spring parade. As their sleeves fluttered, the ancient charm seemed to flow through time, as if they had traveled back thousands of years.
"The event aims to practice the educational concept of 'Cultivating Virtue through Rites and Music' through ritual teaching," said Zhu Yingbei. The event adheres to traditions and respects classics, allowing students to experience the more solemn regulations in the root of Chinese culture. At the same time, it has also been adjusted according to the needs of the new era. "We hope to convey the cultural value concept that 'Chinese culture is alive. It is not just in books but in our daily lives,' emphasizing the activation and rejuvenation of traditional culture to make it accessible to everyone and let students feel the charm and vitality of traditional culture through participation," she added.
It was a weekend, and the morning sun had just cast its light. The Huachao Market unfolded like a beautiful scroll. Teachers and students strolled leisurely among the stalls, participating in activities carefully prepared by various clubs. The arrow - throwing competition experience of the Hanzhihua Zhang Hanfu Club, the intellectual challenges of the Qingfeng Chess Club, the 'Paper - folding into Flowers' of the Handicraft Club, the 'Paper - cutting Expressing Emotions' of the Cultural Relics Lovers Exchange Association, the 'Rubbing Shadows Spreading Fragrance' of the Hand - painted Art Association, the poetry challenges of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, and the 'Solving Spring Mysteries with Flower Language Notes' of the Floral Art Association... all demonstrated the charm of traditional culture in their unique ways, attracting teachers and students to jointly feel the vitality of the Huachao Festival.
