A grand ceremony honoring the Yellow Emperor, revered as the founder of Chinese civilization and a common ancestor of all Chinese people, was held Wednesday in Jinyun County, east China's Zhejiang Province.
The tradition of worshiping the Yellow Emperor in Jinyun dates back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420), making it a ritual with more than 1,600 years of history in the county.
The ceremony featured nine segments, including the striking of bells, offerings of flower baskets and wine, singing, and the reading of a ceremonial address.
More than 400 participants, including compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan region, representatives of overseas Chinese, and delegates from various sectors of society, attended the ceremony.
China holds grand ceremony in Zhejiang to honor Yellow Emperor
Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Monday.
As solemn music played and the golden doors slowly opened, Xi and Vucic entered the hall together, followed by Xi's wife Peng Liyuan and Vucic's wife Tamara Vucic.
Applauding guests rose to their feet, and paid respect to the two heads of state.
A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid solemn music, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.
Xi highlighted Vucic's long-standing commitment to advancing China-Serbia friendship and underscored the significance of the honor.
"President Vucic has long stayed committed to China-Serbia friendship, and he has always given China the firmest and clearest support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. He gains the respect from the Chinese people. This medal is not only a high recognition of President Vucic's contributions to bilateral friendship, but also carries the earnest expectations of both peoples for building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said.
The Friendship Medal is China's highest state honor for foreigners, reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the world, and safeguarding world peace.
At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, with this marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.
Xi awards Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic China's friendship medal
