Thousands of residents and tourists gathered at Sanya Dongtian Park in Hainan province on Friday for the opening of the annual Dragon King folk custom event, a local intangible cultural heritage tradition marking the Dragon Head Raising Day on the second day of the second month in the Chinese calendar.

The five-day festival, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, features traditional rituals, cultural markets, and interactive experiences aimed at preserving Hainan's maritime heritage.

The ceremony began with a traditional procession, including welcoming the deity, paying tributes from five directions, and reading ceremonial addresses. Representatives from five Dragon King temples across Sanya participated, accompanied by ceremonial boat horns played from fishing boats at sea.