The Rich Tapestry of Chinese Ethnic Group Holidays
China is a country with a vast territory and a large population, and officially it consists of 56 ethnic groups, including the Han people and 55 minorities. Except the festivals celebrated by most of the people, some special and unique festivals are celebrated by the ethnic groups.
Naadam Festival: A Mongolian Spectacle
Naadam Festival is a major Mongolian holiday which has a history of over 800 years. Nowadays, it has become an important symbol of Mongolian culture and a vital carrier for both national character. The word “nadaam” means game or competition in Mongolian, and it is the most widely watched festival in Inner Mongolia. Naadam has its origin in the activities, such as military parades, and sporting competitions such as archery, horse riding and wrestling.
Water - Splashing Festival: The Dai's Joyous New Year
Water-Splashing Festival is the most grand and solemn festival for Dai people in Yunnan Province in the southwest of China. Regarded as the Dai’ New Year, Water-splashing Festival is held at the 13th to 16th of the 4th month on Chinese lunar calendar with a 3-day celebration. It has a history of over 700 years. Before the festival, pigs and chickens are slaughtered and wines are brewed, and various foods are prepared. During the three days of the feast, colorful activities are held. Dragon boat racing and other performances such as Peacock dance are held on the first day, followed by the characteristic water-splashing event on the second day. It is a tradition that people will pour clean water to each other, and it is believed that clean water can wash away the unhappiness and bad luck in the last year, and then the good things will follow. The more water people get, the more luck and fortune they will get in the coming year. The last day is usually for the young people to play games as a way of expressing their love for each other.
The Torch Festival: A Fiery Celebration of the Yi
Recognized as the grandest traditional festival of the Yi ethnic minority, the Torch Festival is similar to the Spring Festival for the Han people. It falls between 24th to the 26th day of the sixth lunar month. For three days, men and women, young and old, carry flaming torches and engage in a variety of activities.
The main activities of the first day include worshiping ancestors, visiting extended families, relatives and friends to express their best wishes. Bull and sheep fighting, horse racing, singing competition, beauty contest, wrestling and tug-of-wars, etc. are mainly held on the second day. The climax comes in the evening of the third day, torches are erected in front of every household, and a pile of faggots several meters high is erected in the center of a square. When night falls and gongs and horns are sounded, large bonfires are lit while people sit, sing, and dance around them the whole night. As for the Yi people, the torch symbolizes happiness, purity and good luck.
Bullfight Festival: The Miao's Festive Tribute to Buffaloes
The Miao ethnic minority people developed a special passion toward water buffalo in the history because of farming-water buffaloes were proved efficient and played an important role in farming activities. Therefore, they regard cattle as an indispensable ally, assisting them in all aspects of their daily lives. Bullfight has gradually become a part of the Miao people’s life. When the traditional Bullfight Festival comes, hosts feed their cattle well, even giving them wine in the hope that they will perform well. The event is usually held on an even meadow with the Miao people well dressed on this auspicious occasion.
Generally, there will be multiple rounds of bullfights. When two fight with each other, the result is usually determined within three to five minutes’ fierce combat. However, it is only in the last round that the winner bull is chosen; it may last more than half an hour. During the fight, audiences around the meadow shout loudly, making the festival immersive in a fiery scene. Red silk sashes and flowers adorn the first prize bull with food being the bull’s reward. With bonfires being lit within the bullfighting ring, the young men play Lusheng (a homemade reed mouth organ with five or six pipes, played by various ethnic groups in southwest China) and girls will dance for the whole night. By holding the Bullfight Festival, Miao people hope for a favorable harvest in the coming year and good health.
