10,000 Chinese worship legendary ancestor in Zhengzhou

Chinese people attend a grand worshipping ceremony on Thursday to mark their legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor.[Photo: Chinanews.com]

Nearly 10,000 Chinese people from over 40 countries and regions attended a grand worshipping ceremony on Thursday to mark the country's legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor.

March 3, which this year on the Chinese lunar calendar is widely believed to be the birthday of Huangdi.

The ceremony was in Zhengzhou City, central China's Henan province, where Huangdi built the capital of the Huaxia Empire after he united all the tribes in China 5,000 years ago.

"It is my third time attending the ceremony. I feel honored to return to my roots," said Loo Kee Pow, an overseas Chinese from Singapore and president of High Oak Publishing and Printing House.

Loo said his ancestors originated in Henan and moved to Fujian in southeast China, then Taiwan before settling in Singapore.

Ceremonies were also held earlier this month in San Francisco, Sydney, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao in memory of Huangdi and as a show of support for peace and harmony in China.

Since 2006, the ceremony in Zhengzhou has attracted tens of thousands of Chinese from across the world.

Huangdi was believed to have been born in Xinzheng City, which is governed by Zhengzhou. He is regarded as the common ancestor of all Chinese. The ancestor worship of Huangdi became a widespread ritual in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).