The 2026 National Great Sage Cultural Arts Week and China Monkey Mountain Monkey King Competition opened on May 19 at the Wulongkou Scenic Area in Jiyuan, Henan province, combining intangible cultural heritage with tourism and cultural innovation.
Coinciding with China Tourism Day, the weeklong event has attracted performers, scholars, tourism influencers and visitors from across the country to celebrate the enduring legacy of Journey to the West, the 16th-century mythological classic that has inspired generations of artistic adaptations and traditional opera performances.
The opening ceremony began with the familiar melody of Da Sheng Gui Lai (The Great Sage Returns), accompanied by immersive stage performances that instantly evoked memories of the beloved tale among the audience.
Speaking at the ceremony, Wang Zhenlin, deputy secretary of Jiyuan's Party Working Committee, said the city is both the birthplace of the legendary spirit of Yu Gong — the determined old man from an ancient Chinese fable who resolved to move mountains despite overwhelming odds — and home to the northernmost wild macaque population in the world, earning Wulongkou the nickname "China's Monkey Mountain".
According to Wang, the perseverance embodied in the story of Yu shares the same spirit of courage and determination associated with the Monkey King. He said he hoped that the event would further boost Jiyuan's cultural profile and tourism appeal.
Among the guests attending the ceremony was actor Zhang Jinlai (more commonly known as Liu Xiao Ling Tong), whose portrayal of the Monkey King in the 1986 television adaptation of Journey to the West made him a cultural icon for generations of Chinese audiences. He said the event's cultural programs play an important role in preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture.
During the ceremony, performers from across China staged classic opera productions, including Hou Wang Ju Shou (Gathering of the Monkey Kings) and Zhenjia Houwang Nao Houshan (The Real and Fake Monkey King on Monkey Mountain), drawing enthusiastic applause from visitors.
The event will continue for a week with competitions, cultural lectures, industry forums, exhibitions and themed activities commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1986 television series.
