Ten teams from Shenzhen and neighboring Hong Kong joined a grand parade on May 9 to mark the Tin Hau Festival, making stops at landmarks along the route from the Hong Kong side to the Yantian side of Zhongying Street.

According to legend, Tin Hau, meaning "Empress of Heaven," gained deity status by saving her brothers and father from tragic death at sea.

The Tin Hau Festival, celebrated on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, marks the birthday of the sea goddess. Tin Hau was first honored in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), and her recognition grew significantly over time. She is widely venerated as a goddess of the sea in southern China, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

Accompanied by the boisterous clanging of drums and cymbals, the teams, dressed in glamorous costumes, performed the Qilin dance (Qilin is a mythical unicorn in Chinese legend), the fish lantern dance, and a majestic dragon dance. The parade also featured worshippers carrying tributes, waist drum performers, color ribbon dances, and a flag-bearing procession from Hong Kong’s Tin Hau Temple.

More than 30,000 people witnessed the parade and experienced the unique charm of Shenzhen and Hong Kong's folk traditions.

The ritual marking Tin Hau’s birthday was listed as a municipal-level intangible cultural heritage in Shenzhen 19 years ago. The festivities carry the coastal people's wishes for peace and blessings and serve as a spiritual bond connecting communities in southern China.

On the same day, another intangible cultural heritage item, the Nine-Tray Feast, was also held on the street. Nearly 600 people, including local residents from both Yantian and Hong Kong, gathered to share the traditional banquet and reminisce about their long-cherished traditions.

As a Yantian District-level intangible cultural heritage item, the Nine-Tray Feast is a traditional fishermen's banquet passed down through generations in Shalanxia Village. Fishermen would celebrate their safe return and bountiful harvest with fresh seafood after a fishing trip. The number "nine," a favorite among Cantonese people, carries auspicious meanings of eternity and longevity.

Zhongying Street has witnessed a trend of Shenzhen-Hong Kong cultural integration and business cooperation. In 2025, the street received 6 million tourists.