Chinese Spring Festival Celebration of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Lancang County, Puer
Overview
- Chinese Name: 澜沧县拉祜族新年拜年活动
- English Name: Chinese Spring Festival Celebration of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Lancang County, Puer
The “Kua Ta” (Spring Festival) New Year greeting event held on the third day of the lunar new year each year is a unique traditional activity in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County of Pu’er City. On this day, the county town is exceptionally lively, with various ethnic groups gathering together to sing and dance, creating a grand scene filled with unique folk performances that attract many people from urban and rural areas, as well as visitors from nearby cities and beyond.
Introduction
Local leaders of Lancang County, dressed in ethnic costumes and holding lusheng (a traditional wind instrument), welcome the New Year greeting groups at the entrance of the National Unity and Progress Square while playing and dancing. The greeting group, comprised of ethnic minority compatriots from Lancang County, wears vibrant traditional clothing and brings along offerings such as New Year pigs, rice cakes, sugarcane, rice wine, and tea. Men play the lusheng, suona (a type of horn), and a small sanxian (a three-stringed instrument), while beating drums and gongs. Women sing joyful songs and perform lively dances, with the harmonious sounds of the lusheng, string instruments, and wooden drums creating a symphonic experience. Everyone sings and dances together in a cultural parade celebrating ethnic heritage.
The New Year greeting activity serves as a grand occasion for traditional cultural exchange among various ethnic groups, as well as a celebration of unity, friendship, and harmony among them. In the National Unity and Progress Square, the greeting group and performance troupe enter, joining the diverse local population and visitors from all directions in a sea of song and dance. Lahu compatriots play the lusheng and perform their traditional sway dance, while Yi compatriots play the sanxian and do the three-step dance. Members of other ethnic groups, including the Wa, Hani, Dai, and Blang nationalities, also join in the lively drumming and cheerful singing and dancing, bringing the New Year celebration to a vibrant climax.
