Ji Gong, a vagabond monk who lived during the Song dynasty, is still remembered in China. His benevolent works on behalf of others are memorialized in a festival bearing his name, in Macao. The festival marks the eight hundredth anniversary of Ji Gong's death, or his nirvana as a Buddha.

Representatives of fifty religious institutions and temples from China, the US, Thailand, Malaysia, among other countries attended the opening ceremony. They came to honour Ji Gong. He is a legendary figure in Chinese Buddhism. He was a poor vagrant with a heart of pure gold. He was a man, always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need. China had a hit TV series about the life of Ji Gong back in 1993. That made him even more popular among Chinese people.

The Ji Gong Cultural Festival in Macao includes exhibitions, forums and prayer and religious gatherings.