Villagers place sacrificial offerings on tables in front of their doors in Xiaozhuxi village of Songyang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat Account: wxlishui]

Xiaozhuxi village of Songyang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, has carried out its traditional sacrificial ceremony, a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage called "Paiji" in Chinese, for over 140 years.

The ceremony usually takes place between the 14th and the end of the first lunar month. This year, it falls on Mar 1.

The event is held in honor of a Taoist named Xu Hou, who was believed to have healed a chronically ill villager and driven away evil spirits from the village. Because of these great acts, the villagers honored him as "Great King Xu Hou" and built the Mokou Temple for him, offering sacrifices every lunar January.

During the sacrificial ceremony, each household places sacrificial offerings on tables in front of their doors, forming a long "dragon" along the main path in the village. The offerings include exquisite handicrafts, paper-cut artworks, and red lanterns, creating a visual feast.

Over a hundred tables are connected end to end, stretching over 200 meters. The main table, dedicated to "Great King Xu Hou", is positioned at the head of the "dragon". Offerings on the table are divided into five rows, with five plates for each, including cakes, fruits, candy, and five vegetarian dishes.

As night falls, a cheerful procession of villagers carrying self-made lanterns escort "Great King Xu Hou" back to Mokou Temple amid fireworks and drumbeats, which symbolizes sending away all disasters and welcoming a happy and healthy new year.