Guangzhou will hold the 15th Guangzhou Folk Culture Festival on March 17. It will consist of a series of celebrations that will include worshiping the South Sea God. 

It is a tradition for thousands of people in the Pearl River Delta area to visit Guangzhou's South Sea God Temple (also known as Boluo Temple) every year to worship the South Sea God and celebrate his birthday from February 11 to 13 (according to the lunar calendar). His birthday falls on March 17-19 this year.

Folk dances are held to worship the South Sea God. [Photo/ycwb.com]

During the three-day celebrations, the South Sea God Temple will hold eight Guangdong folk performances and two Huangpu folklore shows.

The most notable performance will be the "Wu Zi Chao Wang", a folk show telling the story of the South Sea God's five sons returning to celebrate the God's birthday. The show will be performed at 10:00 at the South Sea God Temple on March 19. 

In addition to the Nanhai Temple Scenic Spot, other places throughout Huangpu district, Guangzhou will also hold some lively South Sea God worship celebrations. A multimedia parent-child stage play related to the South Sea God will be held at the Huangpu Youth Palace in Guangzhou at 19:30 every night from March 17 to 19.  

The South Sea God Temple is the core venue for cultural events and has been closed for renovation since last July. The temple has now reached the final stages of renovation and will open temporarily for the upcoming celebrations.

The 15th Guangzhou Folk Culture Festival will open with a grand South Sea God worship ritual on March 17. [Photo/ycwb.com] 

The South Sea God Temple has reached the final stages of renovation and will open temporarily for the upcoming celebrations. [Photo/ycwb.com]