Thousands attend a ceremony to worship the goddess Nuwa in She county, Handan city, North China's Hebei province, April 7, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

According to Chinese legend, the goddess Nuwa is the mythological ancestor of people, portrayed as half human and half snake.

The fifth day of the third lunar is said to be Nuwa's birthday and local people in Handan city hold an annual ceremony to pray for good weather for crops and a good harvest, as it's an old tradition.

The activity was listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.