Mount Jiuhua Festivals and Events
There are many kinds of activities and festivals in Huizhou, such as Jiuhua Temple Fair, Sakyamuni's Birthday, Spring Festical at Mount Jiuhua and Introspection Day. We have offered you a brief introduction of festivals and activities, and tell travelers what to do at Mount Jiuhua.
Jiuhua Temple Fair - July, August
It is said that the temple fair has a more than 1000 years’ history and is listed in the national cultural heritage of China, which includes activities such as commodities exhibition, Symposium of monks, Uncovering of Buddhist Figures and much more.
Mount Jiuhua Temple fair is held each year for a month. During the fair, various activities are organized such as enriching the tourism culture in the area, upgrade and transformation.
Sakyamuni's Birthday
Sakyamuni's Birthday falls on the eighth day of the fourth moon. It is the most important festival for Buddhists to observe. On Saykyamuni's birthday all the monks gather in the grand hall of their monastery, offering sacrifice to Buddha, chanting sutra and bathing the image of Sakyamuni with balmy water. The occasion is therefore called "Bathing-Buddha Festival”. During the festival, alms are given to monks and rites are held to remember the dead --giving alms to "starving souls" and burning paperboats--which are believed to be a way of releasing souls from purgatory.
Introspection Day
The Introspection Day falls in the fifteenth day of the seventh moon.
This important Budddhist festival also referred to as Ullambana, when monks self-examine the Buddhist practice of the past year. On the day the monks and other Buddhists offer sacrifice to Buddha, make confessions and introspection. Among other rites are worshipping the images of Emperor Liang and Ksitigarbha in order to release the departed ancestors and starving souls from purgatory.
Spring Festival at Mount Jiuhua
The residents at Mount Jiuhua celebrate Spring Festival twice a year, which makes it very special. On December 28 of lunar calendar, they eat all kinds of meat dishes, including chicken, duck and fish. On December 30 of lunar calendar, they burn incense to worship their ancestors. On Spring Festival, January 1 of lunar calendar, every family goes to Roushen Palace to worship Buddha. The vegetable dishes will be ended on January 3 of lunar calendar.
