The 2015 Mazu cultural festival was held at Tianhou Temple in Yantai, Shandong province, on May 11.

A memorial ceremony for Mazu - the Chinese goddess of the sea - kicked off the festival, attracting around 1,000 worshippers from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Puxian Opera, a national intangible cultural heritage in Fujian province, was also showcased to visitors during the festival.

The event was initiated in 2000 and is held annually with the aim of accelerating economic, cultural and science and technology exchanges between Yantai and Taiwan.

Over the years, Yantai has built several Mazu temples and has focused on promoting the Mazu culture in Yantai to attract more Taiwan people to travel and invest in Yantai.

Edited by Jacob Hooson