The 2022 Chinese Culture Festival of Ji Gong was launched at Tiantai Mountain in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Nov 4.

An integral part of the festival, a sacrificial ceremony celebrating the 813th anniversary of the enlightenment of Ji Gong, an eminent Zen monk who lived during the Southern Song Dynasty (420-479), was staged, in synchronization with those in 14 other sub-venues located in Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

More than 100 Taiwan residents studying or running businesses on the Chinese mainland attended the opening ceremony.

In recent years, a number of activities have been staged in Tiantai county to strengthen cross-Straits people-to-people exchanges based on the shared Ji Gong culture.

Born into a respected family, Ji Gong became known by the nickname "Mad Ji" for his eccentricity. Besides being known as a monk who often broke the rules, Ji Gong was also renowned for his generosity to the poor and his kindness that has inspired many people in Tiantai.