Qiannan Festivals and Events

Qiannan is home to a large number of ethnic minorities, there are 43 ethnic groups including Han, Bouyei, Miao, Shui, Maonan, Yao, Zhuang, Dong and Gelao. Main ethnic festivals include “San Yue San”, “Liu Yue Liu” and “Gengjian Festival(更建节)” of Bouyei; “Si Yue Ba”, “First Harvest of the Year” and Miao’s New Year of Miao; Duan Festival, Mao Festival and Jingxia Festival(敬霞节) of Shui; The Torch Festival of Maonan; Panwang Festival of Yao, etc. 

Festivals in Qiannan

First Harvest of the Year(吃新节) of Dong

Date: On the 6th day of the 6th lunar month

First Harvest of the Year is an ancient traditional festival of the dong minority, which is mainly prevalent in Dong villages. The celebration time and rituals are different from place to place. This is a farming festival, to celebrate the harvest and hope the harvest of the next year. First Harvest of the Year is celebrated in both north and south regions. Although the time and ceremony of First Harvest of the Year are different from each other, jointly reflect the Dong family's psychology of worshiping ancestors piously.

Lusheng Festival(芦笙会) of Miao

Date: On the 27th day of 9th lunar month

Lusheng festival is a traditional festival of the Miao people in Guizhou province. It is held on the 27th day of the 9th lunar month. Through this festival, Miao people welcome the New Year and pray for a good weather for agricultural harvest. It is also a good time for young men and women of Miao minority to communicate and fall in love.

Duan Festival(端节) of Shui

Date: The 8th lunar month to 10th lunar month.

Duan festival is equivalent to the Han's spring festival, is a festival for Shui people in Sandu Shui Autonomous County, Duyun, Dushan, Libo, Rongjiang and other places to celebrate reunion, welcome the New Year, and celebrate the harvest. It is also the grandest festival of Shui people throughout the year. During the festival, the host will entertain guest in the warmest form.

Panwang Festival(盘王节) of Yao

Date: On the 16th day of the 10th lunar month

Panwang Festival is a great festival for Yao ethnic people to worship their ancestors, Pan Gu, pan Geng and Pan Hu. It has more than 1700 years history. Yao people in different areas celebrate the festival in different time, but usually in farm leisure time after autumn harvest and before Spring Festival. Festival usually lasts 3 days. At these days, Yao people wear their festival dress, then they get together, singing and dancing.

Activities in Qiannan

The feature of multi-ethnic created many distinctive activities. 

The folk dances include the simple and lively Chongdui dance of Buyi(布依族舂碓舞), the vigorous and powerful, the bold and unrestrained "Duoyue Dance(跺月亮)" of Miao, and the elegant bronze-drum dance of Shui. These dances have a strong flavor of life, and are the wonders in the flower gardens of Chinese ethnic culture. 

In addition, as an important part of ethnic culture, the traditional sports activities of ethnic minorities have a closely connection with ethnic customs, is closely related to the history, production and living environment of all ethnic groups, and is full of strong interest in life and local flavor. Main sport activities include rowing dragon boat and martial art of Bouyei, Tiao Hua Chang(跳花场) of Miao, horse racing of Shui, playing monkey drum of Maonan, beating spinning top of Yao and so on.