Xinzheng City, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, central China - April 19, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Aerial shot of grand ceremony paying homage to Huangdi, or Yellow Emperor; attendees
2. Attendees
3. Performers
4. Salute cannons being fired
5. Various of grand ceremony in progress; attendees
6. Various of guard of honor presenting flower basket to statue of Yellow Emperor
7. Various of grand ceremony in progress; attendees
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lee Sheng-feng, vice chairman, New Party:
"We jointly recognize the Yellow Emperor as the common ancestor of the Chinese nation. Through this ancestral worship ceremony, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, especially those from Taiwan, can personally feel that we share the same roots, ancestry and origin. What we've done today is paying tribute to our common ancestor and praying for peace across the Strait. That is what has touched me most at this event."
9. Statue of Yellow Emperor
10. Grand ceremony in progress; attendees

A ceremony to worship Huangdi, or Yellow Emperor, a legendary common ancestor of the Chinese people, was held in Xinzheng City of central China's Henan Province on Sunday.

The third day of the third month on the Chinese lunar calendar, which fell on Sunday this year, is widely believed to be the birthday of Huangdi. As a legendary common ancestor of the Chinese people, Huangdi is believed to have been born in the county-level city of Xinzheng.

Around 5,000 people, including overseas Chinese, attended the grand ceremony to pay homage to Huangdi. A total of 540 guests from home and abroad formed six processional groups, representing unity among the Chinese people from all corners of the world, and symbolizing cultural affinity with shared ancestry.

The ceremony started at 09:51 with a 21-gun salute. Representatives from various sectors presented flower baskets before the statue of Huangdi to express reverence for ancestors and to reaffirm a shared cultural identity and national unity.

Under the guidance of the host of the grand ceremony, all participants bowed three times in unison toward the statue to pay tribute to the statue of Huangdi, a ritual expressing people's profound respect for their cultural ancestor.

"We jointly recognize the Yellow Emperor as the common ancestor of the Chinese nation. Through this ancestral worship ceremony, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, especially those from Taiwan, can personally feel that we share the same roots, ancestry and origin. What we've done today is paying tribute to our common ancestor and praying for peace across the Strait. That is what has touched me most at this event," said Lee Sheng-feng, vice chairman of the New Party in China's Taiwan region.

Worshiping Huangdi is a tradition for the Chinese people. Xinzheng has held the annual ceremony to honor Yellow Emperor since 2006. And the ceremony of ancestor worship in Huangdi's hometown was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.