The 14th Guangzhou Folk Culture Festival commenced at the South Sea God Temple on March 27 and will last until March 29.

The 14th Guangzhou Folk Culture Festival opens with a grand ritual of South Sea God worship that follows ancient tradition on the morning of March 27. [Photo/ Southern Metropolis Daily] 

The festival features the Boluo Dan Temple Fair. For hundreds of years, it has been an unceasing tradition for thousands upon thousands of residents in the Pearl River Delta area to go to Guangzhou's South Sea God Temple (also known as Boluo Temple) to worship the South Sea God between February 11 and 13 according to the lunar calendar, which falls on March 27 and 29 this year.

A dragon dance is performed at the opening ceremony of the 14th Guangzhou Folk Culture Festival held in front of South Sea God Temple on the morning of March 27. The archway outside the temple is inscribed with the Chinese characters "Hai Bu Yang Bo" (peace and safety at sea). [Photo/ Southern Metropolis Daily]

The temple fair has been included on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2011. Nowadays it serves as a name card for Guangzhou's folk culture.

This year's three-day festival will consist of ten themed activities, including a South Sea God worship ritual, exhibitions of intangible cultural heritage, ancient poetry recitals, flower shows, and folk art performances.

Distinctive dance is performed at the festival on March 27. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]