Explainer | What are ‘Wandering Gods’? Find out how people in China celebrate them in search of a smooth, prosperous year
- Centuries-old high-ranking deities parade through villages of southern China
- Worshippers give them offerings, interfering in parades ‘has consequences’
In February, towering and majestic deities walk through the streets of villages in southern China, receiving devout worshippers amid a cacophony of gongs and drums.
This is one of China’s most famous folk religious events, you shen, which literally means “Wandering Gods”.
What is you shen?
As a part of Taoist culture, you shen is an annual event of blessing in the southern regions of China and is typically held within the first two weeks of the Lunar New Year.
Specially trained individuals carry custom-built deity statues and receive offerings and prayers from the public along the way.
The procession can stretch up to 10km and the number of participants can number tens of thousands, including vanguard teams, deities, percussion ensembles and flag bearers.
Originating 600 years ago, the event typically operates on a village-by-village basis, flourishing particularly in Fujian province in southeastern China.
