The 8th Grand Memorial Ceremony for Huang Shigong, Founding Ancestor of Sculpture, and the 2nd Hebei Province “Huang Shigong Cup” Sculpture Competition Grandly Open

The Eighth Huangshigong Memorial Ceremony and the Second Hebei Provincial “Huangshigong Cup” Sculpture Competition Grandly Open

On May 3, 2026, the Eighth Memorial Ceremony for the Birth Anniversary of Huangshigong and the Second Hebei Provincial “Huangshigong Cup” Sculpture Competition were held concurrently at the Artists’ Tribe in Yangping Sculpture Town, Quyang County, the “Hometown of Sculpture.” With the theme of revering past sages, inheriting craftsmanship, exchanging skills, and empowering industry, the event promotes the high-quality development of Hebei’s sculpture art and carving industry.

The event was guided by the Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology and jointly hosted by the Hebei Contemporary Sculpture Institute, Hebei Arts and Crafts Vocational College, and the Hebei Arts and Crafts Association. It was organized by the Management Committee of the China Quyang Sculpture Cultural Industrial Park, the People’s Government of Yangping Town, Quyang County, the Quyang County Sculpture and Ding Porcelain Industry Service Center, and Hebei Handing Sculpture Group, with support from universities and industry organizations inside and outside the province. More than 200 people attended, including representatives from the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, experts from art colleges, Quyang County leaders, arts and crafts masters at all levels, intangible cultural heritage inheritors, entrepreneurs, university teachers and students, and media representatives.

At 9:30 a.m., the memorial ceremony officially began. Cao Yingcai, Chairman of the Quyang County CPPCC, declared the ceremony open. Cui Haotian, Mayor of Yangping Town, delivered a speech reviewing Quyang’s more than 2,000 years of carving heritage and honoring Huangshigong’s exemplary role. During the ceremony, arts and crafts masters and industry representatives presented flower baskets in 13 groups. Chief officiant Gao Yingpo led the incense offering and respectfully read the sacrificial text. All present bowed three times toward the statue, paying respect to past sages and praying for the enduring vitality of the artistic lineage. Subsequently, provincial arts and crafts masters, enterprise representatives, and young artisan representatives spoke one after another. Finally, Wang Xuzhao, Director of the Sculpture Park, delivered a speech, bringing the ceremony to a close.

After the memorial ceremony, the opening ceremony of the Second Hebei Provincial Huangshigong Cup Sculpture Competition and Exhibition was also held. The opening ceremony began with a welcome address by Jiao Ruifeng, Party Secretary of Yangping Town. Master Gao Yingpo introduced the competition preparations. Zhao Yungeng, Deputy Party Secretary of Hebei Arts and Crafts Vocational College, and Wang Wei, Executive Vice President of the Hebei Arts and Crafts Association, among others, delivered speeches successively, affirming the competition’s important role in inheriting skills, cultivating talent, and empowering industry. The competition ultimately selected a number of gold, silver, bronze, and excellence awards, and attending guests presented