Returning to Tradition

At 9 p.m. on September 22， 2020， the opening ceremony of the 31st Guan Di Culture and Tourism Festival commenced in Yuncheng City， Shanxi Province， hometown of the festival’s namesake， a widely revered ancient Chinese general. Themed around promoting culture related to Guan Di （meaning “Lord Guan”） and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation， the two-day festival aimed to boost Yuncheng’s tourism and crossStrait cultural exchange through a variety of activities. Yuncheng City is located at the southernmost tip of Shanxi Province and bordered by the Yellow River， the mother river of China， to the west. This strategic position has helped the city develop a rich local culture and produce abundant historical figures， with Guan being the most well-known.

Guan Di， the divine name of Guan Yu， is a household name in China and the broader East and Southeast Asia. Guan， who died in the year 220， is traditionally portrayed as a red-faced warrior with a long lush beard and credited with many military successes. Even today， he is still worshipped by millions as an indigenous Chinese deity， a bodhisattva in Buddhist tradition， and a guardian deity in Taoism. He is referred as the “Saint of War” with comparable status to Confucius， who is honored as the“Saint of Culture” in China. For Westerners， a fitting comparison might be someone like the GrecoRoman deity Mars. However， their roles are different， because Guan has come to symbolize loyalty， righteousness， and courage， and doesn’t necessarily bless those going to battle. Culture related to Guan Yu permeates many aspects of daily life in Yuncheng. In addition to organizing the Guan Di Culture and Tourism Festival for years， locals erected temples dedicated to Guan Yu and shrines to him can be found in homes， businesses， and workplaces.“Growing up in China， I heard all kinds of stories and legends about the hero，” said one local participating in the event. “When I step into the temples and see the statues of Guan Yu whom I’ve read about so many times in books， I get a special feeling and feel proud of our culture.”Moreover， although Guan Yu is worshipped as an alternative god of wealth in many parts of the country， Yuncheng locals tend to see him more as the protector of the upright. Visitors to the city can see the portraits of Guan Yu pasted on doors to ward off both evil spirits and wicked people. This phenomenon testifies to the city’s high esteem for a code of honor， as epitomized by Guan Yu.

The widening popularity of the Guan Di Culture and Tourism Festival is one example of the resurgence of interest in traditional Chinese culture. As more young people in the country are embracing traditional Chinese culture， activities like such festivals that expand exposure to traditional culture have been warmly received.“People today are too stuck in fast modern life，” said Nancy Gong， a media figure at the 31st Guan Di Culture and Tourism Festival. “They should return to their traditional Chinese roots now and then.”