Men and women in the village gather in the village committee at 3 a.m. on the day of the ritual. Senior artists applied make-up on young performers of the Yangge dance. [Photo/Chinapic.people.com.cn]

Haiyang Yangge dance, which falls on January 13 of the Chinese Lunar Calendar each year, is an intangible cultural heritage preserved in the coastal area of the Jiaozhou Bay in East China. Performed at the annual Sea God ritual, which has been practiced for more than 500 years in the region, the Yangge dance is an important festival feast for local villagers.