Gejiu Festivals and Events
Gejiu City is dominated by Han nationality and 12 ethnic minorities. Ethnic minorities include Yi, Zhuang, Hui, Miao, Dai, Hani and other 6 minorities. Each ethnic group in Gejiu created its own festivals. Here below are some festivals and activities in Gejiu.
1. Jiajizhai Pear Blossoms Festival加级寨梨花节
Every March, the view is most beautiful when the pear blossoms are in bloom at Jiajizhai Village of Jijie Town in Gejiu. At that time, pear blossoms festival is celebrated. Tourists can get into pear blossom valley to enjoy the pear blossoms, taste tea and delicious local food.
2. Eid al-Fitr Festival of Hui Ethnic Minority回族开斋节
Each year, Muslims have a Ramadan. Muslims who are at least 12 years old for men and 9 years old for women must fast. When the fasting period comes to an end, the Eid al-Fitr Festival begins at dawn, and the day begins with washing, bathing, changing into new clothes and saluting at the mosque.
3. Eid al-Adha Festival of Hui Ethnic Minority回族古尔邦节
Eid al-Adha Festival is usually celebrated 70 days after Eid al-Fitr Festival. Before the festival, every family is cleaning, frying oil incense and so on. At dawn on the day of the festival, Muslims bathe and burn incense, put on clean clothes and go to the mosque to attend the ceremony. When it is over, there will be a solemn ceremony of butchering, with a portion of the meat slaughtered for food, a portion for friends, relatives and neighbors, and a portion for the poor.
4. Torch Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority
It is the grandest festival of Yi people. Every year on the 24th day of the 6th lunar month, Yi villages are all to prepare a big feast and have a joyous gathering. At night, villagers light their torches and shout to march through the field. It means scaring away the devil and welcoming the harvest.
5. Huashan Festival of Miao Ethnic Minority花山节
Every year, the second day of Lunar January is the traditional festival of Miao people, Huashan Festival, also known as "Caihuashan". Flower pole is the significant symbol of the festival. On this day, Miao people wear traditional costume, perform Lusheng(芦笙表演) and choose the king of flower pole.
6. Door-Opening Festival and Door-closing Festival of Dai Ethnic Minority
Buddhist culture has already infiltrated and integrated into the Dai culture. Door-opening festival and door-closing festival are the most important religious activities for the Dai people.The so-called "door- closing" refers to the period of teaching Buddha dharma, which is similar to the commonly said retreat闭关; And "door-opening" is coming out. The two festivals are mutually connected. The door-closing festival is the 15th day of lunar June. After three months of Buddha dharma teaching, the door-opening festival is coming.
