Honghe County Festivals and Events

There are many ethnic minority groups inhabiting in Honghe County. Ethnic minorities, including Hani, Yi, Dai, Yao, Zhuang, Miao and so on, are 94% of its total population, Hani people account for 75%. They created diverse festivals and activities in Honghe County.

Festivals of Honghe County

1. YangAna Festival仰阿娜

In every lunar March, after rice transplanting, Yiche people(the oldest Hani branch) will celebrate "March Festival". It is also called "Girl's Festival", and "YangAna" in Hani language. At that day, Yiche people wear ethnic dress, gathering to Hongdu Mountain(Girl Mountain). The respcted elder will organize the sacrificial ceremony, and the mature men prepare food for guests. Young men and women do Yiche Dance, sing the folk songs and seek a marriage partner.

2. Kuzhazha Festival苦扎扎节

Celebrated in the middle of the 6th lunar month, Kuzhazha Festival is also called June New Year. It is the grandest traditional festival of Hani people as hilarious as Spring Festival of Han people. Hani People prepare Long street banquet at that day.

3. The Torch Festival

The torch festival in Honghe County is mainly celebrated in Chegu Township(车古乡). 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.

4. Kaiyangmen Festival开秧门

It is the traditional festival of Hani people. Kaiyangmen means the first day of seedling transplantation. At this day, Hani people wear new clothes and bring food to rice field. Accompanied by transplantation bugle, prestige people in the village pull up the first seedling to pray a good harvest, then people begin to pull up and transplant seedlings.

5. Panwang Festival盘王节

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.

6. Huashan Festival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.

7. Axi Tiaoyue Festival(阿细跳月节)

It is celebrated by Axi people(a Yi branch) in April 8th. Axi Tiaoyue is the most pervasive and proudest folk dance of Axi people, the essential dance when holding various ceremonies, and also a important medium of Axi people’s entertainment, communication and mate selection. It is divided into the elder dance and the youth dance.

8. Angmatu Festival昂玛突

Angmatu festival is a sacrificial activity of Hani people, helding before annual spring ploughing(usually in the middle of January). To pray for a good weather for crops, good grain harvest, people and livestock are safe and sound in the coming year, Hani people prepare long street banquet, sing and dance. The event lasts 3 to 5 days.

Activities of Honghe County

1. Long Street Banquet

Long street banquet is a traditional custom of Hani people. Every year, around the 10th day of the 10th lunar month, Angmatu festival comes. Hani people prepare a banquet in village and celebrate the festival together. When celebrating, over hundred tables line up, like a dragon. Long street banquet got the name for this reason.

2. Yuezuo Dance乐作舞

Yuezuo dance, or long street song and dance festival, means everybody dance together. It has more than thousand years history. Yuezuo dance is prevalent in 622 villages of Honghe county, there are 75 dance teams. In Azhahe township, there is a "Kuzhazha Long Street Dance(苦扎扎长街舞)" every year. People from different villages dance together to pray a good harvest in the coming year.

3. Horse Caravan Family马帮人家

It presents the horse caravan culture of Honghe county, and display numerous horse caravan supplies.

Address: Nanmen Street, Yisa Town, Honghe County红河县迤萨镇南门街

Tel: 0873-4622947

4. Ethnic Culture School民族见习馆

You can appreciate the folk song and dance of 14 Hani branches in Honghe County.

Address: Xishan Park, Yisa Town, Honghe County红河县迤萨镇西山公园