An Inheritance Base dedicated to a local ancient teacher, who centuries ago was described as erudite, talented, benevolent, loving, and dedicated, opened March 16 in Qianshan.

The base in the Changsha community of Fengshan Subdistrict promotes the Xiangzhou District-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage: Scholar Lu's Birthday Festival. Teacher Lu Zhizhong was born in Shangce Village, Jinding Town in Tangjiawan on the 4th Day of the 9th Lunar Month in 1593. At age 21, he was invited by salt producers to open a school in Changshaxu Village. He died in 1668, and his birthday has been celebrated in Changshaxu for 300 years.

Portrait of Lu Zhizhong [Photo courtesy Nanfangplus]

There were a great number of salt producers in Hsiang-shan (Xiangshan) County (today's Zhuhai, Zhongshan, and Macao) during the reign of Emperor Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A hub for both water and land transport, Changshaxu was a significant stop on Hsiang-shan's salt trade route.

Teacher Lu devoted his entire life to rural education and cultivated a group of students highly educated and steeped in propriety. Yao Qisheng, then head of Hsiang-shan, even inscribed a horizontal tablet for him. The custom of respect for teachers and education has prevailed in the community since then.

Scholar Lu's Birthday Festival was designated a District-Level Intangible Cultural Heritage in June 2020. Now, the Inheritance Base will involve people in protecting this heritage, and promoting Hsiang-shan and Zhuhai folk cultures.

As part of the efforts, the Changsha Community Party Committee and Xiangzhou Chimelong Economic Development organize yearly folk activities. These include paying respect at Scholar Lu Temple, lion dances, marking the foreheads of new students with cinnabar, sparkler-grabbing, and Quyi (a traditional folk art of ballads, storytelling, comic dialogue performances, and crosstalk) performances.