Crossing the Sea of Fire, a 400-year-old folk custom on Leizhou Peninsula, was held across the region on Feb 20 to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which fell on Feb 19.

The bravest and strongest men in a village were selected to cross over a burning fire and pray for happiness and well-being.

The custom demonstrates ancestral reverence toward fire and was listed on the Catalogue of Zhanjiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Items in 2009.

A fire is left burning for six to seven hours. [Photo/Zhanjiang Daily]

Villagers circle the raging fire before the event starts. [Photo/Zhanjiang Daily]

Two brave young men race across the sea of fire with nothing on their feet, which is expected to bring happiness and health to their families. [Photo/Zhanjiang Daily]

Sparks fly behind a young man. [Photo/Zhanjiang Daily]

A villager grabs a plowshare from the fire with his teeth. [Photo/Zhanjiang Daily]

The crowd uses wooden sticks to introduce the fire to their home and pray for a bright and promising future. [Photo/Zhanjiang Daily]