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Katherine and her friends John and Meti visit rural Fujian during Chinese New Year, biking along quiet roads toward Jjo before the festivities begin. A friendly local man shows them a temple with a history of 879 years and a turtle made from rice bags; Katherine asks about local customs before touching it. As evening approaches, they find preparations for a deity procession. People carry deities through the streets amid firecrackers and energetic celebrations. The group watches the event and learns about its purpose from local participants. Katherine, who has lived in China for five years, is still surprised by the procession's intensity and the unusual scenes at its end. The trip shows how unexpected discoveries and local events can shape a visit.
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Cycling to a temple in Fujian
Katherine travels with her friends John and Meti through rural Fujian during Chinese New Year. They bike toward Jjo, finding the roads unusually quiet before the festivities. The ride gives them a chance to see the area at a slower pace. A friendly local man invites them to visit a temple with a history of 879 years. Inside, they see a large turtle made of rice bags. Katherine learns that it is connected with a local custom believed to bring good fortune, and visitors should ask permission before touching it.
The group does not plan every part of the day in advance. A chance encounter leads to the temple visit, and they stay open to other discoveries. As the evening approaches, they begin looking for the celebration and see preparations underway.
The nighttime deity procession
The main event is a nighttime procession in which people carry deities through the streets. Firecrackers and activity fill the route as local residents take part. Katherine describes the energy and noise, and the group watches how the celebration unfolds. The video explains the procession's purpose and shows the local customs around it. Katherine has lived in China for five years, but she says this event still feels surprising and different from other experiences.
The celebration ends with unusual scenes involving people spinning the deity throne; Katherine says she never found out the reason behind what the men at the end were doing. The visit shows why local events can lead to unexpected encounters. It also suggests planning around community festivals, learning about traditions and asking before handling religious objects. The bike ride, temple and procession together make the trip a personal introduction to rural Fujian during the holiday.
The route is shaped by a chance meeting with a friendly uncle who offers to show Katherine the temple. She and her friends see its large rice-bag turtle and hear about the local belief attached to it. They continue looking for the New Year festivities as the day turns to evening. Before the main procession, people make preparations and gather along the route. Firecrackers add noise and activity while the deities are carried through the streets. Katherine describes the event as energetic and crowded, with local residents participating. She has lived in China for five years, but says this particular celebration still surprises her. The group watches through the main event and stays until its later moments, including the unusual spinning of the deity throne by men at the end. Katherine admits she never learned the reason for that detail. The video concludes with her reflecting on the people and the scale of the celebration. A local event, a temple visit and a bike ride make up a day that could not have been planned in detail beforehand.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the temple turtle made from?
- A: It was made from rice bags. The local custom links the turtle with good fortune, and Katherine was told to ask permission before touching it.
- Q: What happened during the nighttime procession?
- A: People carried deities through the streets as firecrackers and celebrations filled the area. Katherine and her friends watched the event with local residents.
- Q: Why did you bike to Jjo?
- A: Katherine and her friends rode bikes along the quiet roads during Chinese New Year. The calm journey was part of their experience before the nighttime festivities.
