A cross-Straits ancestor worship ceremony takes place at the Yan Emperor Mausoleum in Gaoping county, Shanxi province, May 12. The eighth day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which falls on May 12 this year, is the birthday of the Yan Emperor, a legendary pioneer of ancient Chinese agriculture. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

An ancestor worship ceremony held at the Yan Emperor Mausoleum in Gaoping county, Shanxi province, on May 12 brought together thousands of cross-Straits residents.

Hosted by the Chinese Yanhuang Culture Studies Association and the Shanxi Yan Emperor Culture Studies Association, the folk ancestor worship aimed to strengthen cross-Straits ties and improve cultural communications.

At the ceremony, more than 8,000 Gaoping locals, over 1,000 Taiwan people, and around 100 overseas Chinese from 26 countries and regions honored Yan Emperor, a legendary pioneer of ancient Chinese agriculture. 

Gaoping county, birthplace of the Yan Emperor, is home to many important historical sites. The county has held cross-Straits cultural and tourism investment promotion events since 2016, helping facilitate economic and cultural cooperation between Shanxi and Taiwan. The Yan Emperor Mausoleum is considered a sacred place where overseas Chinese can honor their roots and commemorate their ancestors.