On the evening of March 19th, the "Boluodan Temple Fair", dating back a thousand years ago, kicked off grandly at the Nanhai Temple in Huangpu District, Guangzhou. As one of the largest traditional folk temple fairs in Guangzhou, it opened at night for the first time, with 300 lights arranged to combine modern lighting and visual effects with the ancient temple scene, creating an immersive cultural feast of intangible cultural heritages.

The opening performance featured a magnificent spectacle of luminous dragons and lions dancing together, impressing the audience withthe majestic integration of martial arts, drum beats, opera, and dragon-lion dances. Creative digital technology was employed to present magnificent scenes like "Setting Sail" at the Maritime Silk Road, offering a fresh audio-visual experience.

Zhao Weibin, the provincial inheritor of the Lion Dance Intangible Cultural Heritage in Guangdong and the President of the Guangzhou Dragon and Lion Dance Association, stated that dragon and lion performances are popular folk arts enjoyed by the masses. This year, with the employment of lighting techniques, the opening ceremony showcases a splendid dragon-lion performance combining strength and gentleness, embodying the vibrant inheritance of this millennium-old traditional folk custom.

Moreover, in the Cantonese opera performance of "Eight Immortals Celebrating Longevity," auspicious phrases such as "peaceful nation and happy people," "longevity and eternal youth," and "wealth and prosperity" attracted attention. The program featured key performances such as the parade of the five children statues from the Nanhai Temple, a birthday celebration, and a blessing ceremony, reflecting the festive atmosphere of this traditional cultural heritage to the greatest extent.

The "Boluodan Temple Fair" serves as an important showcase of the cultural heritage of Guangzhou, a significant carrier of the essence of the"Maritime Silk Road" culture, and anoutstanding witness to the continuous prosperity of Guangzhou's maritime trade. The temple fair this year not only includes traditional rituals such as the sea sacrificial ceremony but also incorporates the setup of a food street and an intangible heritage market, as well as trendy activities like fellowship parties themed on "Boluodan Temple Fair," creating a splendid collision between history and modernity.

In the creative market, cultural and creative products including T-shirts, mugs, canvas bags and notebooks related to the millennium temple fair covered all aspects of life, designed with exquisite and ingenious patterns featuring elements of the "Boluodan Temple Fair," conveying both personality and practicality. Ms. Wang, a citizen, told the reporter, "Nowadays, young people enjoy trendy and innovative things. I didn't expect the 'Boluodan Temple Fair' to be so innovative. Hopefully, more friends will get to learn about the Maritime Silk Road culture."

It is reported that the 2024 "Boluodan Temple Fair" will be held from 9:00 to 18:00 from March 20th to March 22nd, offering a variety of folk and trendy events as well as a traditional cultural feast for citizens and tourists alike.

夜光龙狮打头阵！2024广州黄埔“波罗诞”开幕

3月19日晚 ，2024广州黄埔“波罗诞”千年庙会在南海神庙隆重开幕。作为广州地区最大的传统民俗庙会之一，今年黄埔“波罗诞”首次在夜间开幕，架设300支灯光，现代的灯光舞美技术结合千年古庙实地场景，带来“沉浸式”非遗文化盛宴。

开场节目“龙腾狮舞贺波罗”献上夜光龙狮共舞的精彩演出，将武术、鼓乐、戏曲与舞龙舞狮巧妙结合，以磅礴的气势震撼全场。启动仪式创新运用数字技术呈现“扬帆起航”等波澜壮阔的海丝场景，带来全新的视听体验。

广东醒狮省级非遗传承人、广州市龙狮协会会长赵伟斌介绍说，龙狮表演是大众喜闻乐见的民间艺术，今年“波罗诞”开幕式创新采用灯光技术，男女演员同台舞龙刚柔并济，呈现精彩璀璨的龙狮表演，是对千年传统民俗的活态传承。

此外，粤剧例戏《八仙贺寿》当中，“国泰民安”“长寿不老”“招财进宝”和“百子千孙”等如意吉祥的话语引人关注。该节目以南海神五子神像巡游、共同祝寿、献福仪式等主要表演形式，完整地体现波罗诞民俗盛况，展现南海神庙的民俗文化内涵。

“波罗诞”是彰显广府文化底蕴的重要窗口，是传播“海丝文化”内涵的重要载体，也是广州航海贸易长盛不衰的重要见证。今年“波罗诞”千年庙会主要的活动不仅有祭海仪式、“五子朝王”“龙舟朝王”等传统仪式，更设置美食街、非遗市集、“波罗诞”主题青年联谊等潮流活动，让历史与现代来个精彩的大碰撞。

记者在文创集市区看到，千年庙会IP文创产品实现了吃喝玩乐全覆盖，短袖、马克杯、帆布袋、笔记本……精美巧妙的图案设计结合“波罗诞”祈福安康的文化寓意，彰显个性的同时不失实用性。市民王女士告诉记者：“现在年轻人都喜欢潮玩，没想到‘波罗诞’也如此有创意，特地来支持一下，让更多朋友了解海丝文化。”

据悉，今年黄埔“波罗诞”千年庙会在3月20日至3月22日举办，为期三天，活动时间为每天9:00至18:00，其间各类“民俗+潮流” 活动精彩纷呈，可观可赏、可吃可玩，为广大市民游客奉上一场传统民俗文化盛宴。

文｜记者 卢佳圳
图｜记者 梁喻 潘俊华
翻译丨洪婷