Pangu, the creator of the world and all living things, according to Chinese mythology, was celebrated at a special festival held in Guangzhou on Sept 29.

According to legend, Pangu swung his giant axe and created the earth (murky Yin) and the sky (clear Yang). To keep them separated, Pangu stood between them and pushed up the sky. With each day, the sky grew 10 feet higher, the earth 10 feet thicker, and Pangu 10 feet taller. After 18,000 years, Pangu died. His breath became the wind, mist and clouds; his voice, thunder; and his body and organs became the mountains, rivers and fertile land.

Dances are held at the Shiling Pangu Cultural Festival in Shiling town of Huadu district on Sept 29. [Photo/xkb.com]

The festival, which ran until Oct 1, was held in Shiling town, Huadu district, hosting a wide range of activities including a blessing ceremony, lion dance competition, a special Pangu dance, intangible cultural heritage exhibition and photographic exhibition.

It was the first time for such performances in Shiling town honoring Pangu. The Shiling Pangu Cultural Festival integrated a variety of different folk culture with intangible cultural heritages, attracting thousands of visitors.

The Shiling Pangu Cultural Festival was added to the list of Guangzhou municipal cultural heritages in 2007, and eight years later, it was included on the list of Guangdong provincial intangible cultural heritages.