An extravaganza of homegrown intangible cultural heritages continues into next week at the 6th Doumen Folk Culture Exhibition, which opened Oct 16 with a Catching Mudfish Competition in Qianwu Town.

Wushan Central Primary School pupils and local residents weave mudfish cages [Photo courtesy WeChat account: gh_5c90b67d245f]

Guest performances are being done of the Gaozhou Puppet Show, which was selected as a Guangdong Culture & Art Hometown for 2021-23 and originated during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Actors operate puppets accompanied by Cantonese Opera. Meanwhile, a collection of outstanding Cantonese Operatic Songs is staged daily through Oct 22 at Doumen Auditorium.

Lingnan Wonderland Eco-Resort National Rural Complex will host a Lion Dance Invitational and Intangible Cultural Heritage Fair & Photo Exhibition on Oct 23. The Sacrificial Rites of Imperial Family will be reproduced at Luyi Ancestral Hall and Jiexia Manor in Doumen Town on the same day.

The much-anticipated Collective On-Water Wedding Ceremony on Oct 24 will revive the 300-year-old State-level intangible cultural heritage in Nan'ao Village. A fusion of Guangfu (Cantonese), Hakka, and Dan Clan cultures has couples conducting rituals and meeting the bride by boat. They are serenaded with Shatian Folk Songs, dine on Poon Choi (a Cantonese feast dish of various ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables), and dwell in rural home inns.

The 15th Shatian Folk Songs Competition takes place at Doumen Auditorium on Oct 25 as does the 20th Opera & Quyi (traditional folk ballads, storytelling, comic dialogue performances, and crosstalk) Competition on Oct 26.

Finally, the 10th Square Dancing Competition will be held Oct 27 at Cultural Square of Doumen Town.