People offering sacrifices at the 24th Hongdong Big Pagoda Tree Cultural Festival & Ancestor Worship Ceremony, on April 5, at the Ancestor Worship Park, in Hongdong, Shanxi province. The 24th Hongdong Big Pagoda Tree Cultural Festival & Ancestor Worship Ceremony was held on April 5, at the Ancestor Worship Park, in Hongdong, Shanxi province. Descendents that had moved to other provinces and countries came back to their hometown, to commemorate history and worship their ancestors. According to historic records, during the early period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Guangji Temple in Hongdong, where the Big Pagoda Tree is located, had become the center for immigrants coming together or moving outside. With descendents spread around the world, the Big Pagoda Tree has become a holy place to worship ancestors and express their missing toward the hometown. The ceremony began in 1991, and the custom of “worshiping ancestors at Big Pagoda Tree” has been listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.(Photo/Xinhua)