Old custom of sugarcane festival in Wuchang, Hubei

by lsh392 on 2009-06-10 12:30:44

"On March 28, people in Hongshan worship the Bodhisattva. If you have more money, eat sugar cane; if you have less money, eat fried dough twists." This is a folk song that was popular in Wuhan over 50 years ago. In just 20 words, it sketches one aspect of the old Wuchang custom known as the Sugar Cane Festival. In the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu during the Northern Song Dynasty (1011 AD), Emperor Zhenzong of Song bestowed the title "Dongyue Tianqi Renshengdi" on the deity who guarded Mount Tai, whom the common people called "Dongyue Dadi" or "Dongyue Bodhisattva".