Water Feast Culture in luoyang city: Guidelines for protecting, inheriting and disseminating

Abstract

The Luoyang Water feast is an intangible cultural heritage that has been held in Luoyang City for a long time, reflecting China's important cultural identity, and is a historical, cultural and social memory heritage of the Chinese people in Luoyang City that should be studied. The objectives of this study are: (1) to study the historical background of the Luoyang Water Festival; (2) to study the form of the Luoyang Water Festival; and (3) to propose guidelines for the protection, promotion and dissemination of the cultural heritage of the Luoyang Water Festival. This study is a qualitative study. The main research area is Luoyang City. The research data are from documents and interviews with 4 key informants, 10 general informants and 15 relevant persons. The research instruments used are interview records, observation forms and focus group discussions. The results are presented in a descriptive and analytical.

The research results found that: (1) The Water Feast's history dates back to the founding of New China, peaking during Wu Zetian's reign, evolving into palace banquets characterized by formality and sociality. (2) The Water Feast comprises 24 dishes: 8 cold, 4 large, 8 medium, and 4 side dishes, served in a specific order: cold then hot, salty before sweet, meat before vegetarian, and vegetables before soup. Performances often highlight Wu Zetian's history. (3) Strategies to maintain the Luoyang Water Feast's competitiveness include skill inheritance, cultural value, production techniques, performance forms, protection measures, and cultural promotion. This study aims to contribute to the cultural inheritance and dissemination of the Luoyang Water Feast and provide insights for its sustainable development

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