Ninglang County Festivals and Events
Ninglang County is a multi-ethnic inland located in mountainous areas, inhabited by 12 ethnic groups, including Yi, Han, Mosuo, Pumi, Lisu, Naxi, Tibet, Bai, Zhuang, Dai, Miao and Hui. The local Ninglang County festivals and activities are a good way to understand them.
1. Yi Ethnic Minority
• Torch Festival
This is a famous festival of those of the Yi Group living in Ninglang County of Lijiang. Originally held on every 24th June of Chinese lunar calendar, this festival will last for three days.
• Yi New Year Festival
The Yi New Year, nicknamed the Slaughtering Pig Festival, in the middle of the eleventh month of the agricultural calendar, has been an official Yi holiday in Ninglang since the mid 1980s.
• The February 8th Festival(二月八节)
It is said that this festival is held to worship the Miku God who was a national hero in ancient times of Yi nationality. During the festival, there will be singing and dancing, wrestling, swinging, picnic, bonfire party and other activities.
• The March 3rd Festival(三月三节)
It is a traditional festival celebrated by many ethnic groups in China. It is said that March 3rd is the birthday of the Yellow emperor.
• The 15th Festival(初十五节)
Yi people generally do not celebrate the Spring Festival, but on the 15th day of the first lunar month, there are some activities of dispelling evils such as beating the head of pigs.
2. Mosuo People
• Spring Festival
Mosuo called it Kushi, meaning New Year. The mosuo people celebrate the Spring Festival with pomp and bustle.
• Dragon Boat Festival
Like the Han, Musuo people collect herbs, drink realgar wine and set a banquet, but also burn pine branches and tsamba, spray toast and water, chant and offer sacrifices to Gods of mountain, water, sun, moon, star, etc.
• Zhuanshan Festival(转山节)
Every July 25 of the lunar calendar is Mosuo people's festival of walking around mountain and sea
• Ancestor Worship(祭祖)
In lunar October, every household will kill New Year pig on an auspicious day. This day of killing the pig is the festival of ancestor worship, and there will be chanting, worshiping god and ancestors.
• Lupercalia Festival(牧神节)
On the 12th day of the first lunar month, all mosuo families will prepare a big breakfast incuding pig heart. Before eating, they will burn incense and offer sacrifices specially to the god of animal husbandry.
3. Pumi Ethnic Minority
• Ohwa Festival(吾昔节)
The festival is a traditional festival of the Pumi ethnic group, which is usually held on the sixth or seventh or eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
• Big 15th Festival(大十五节)
It is a traditional festival of the Pumi people. On every 15th day of lunar December, people gather on sacred mountains near the village to burn incense and sacrifice to the gods.
• Taste of the New Festival(尝新节)
On the festival of autumn harvest, Pumi people will brew the new grain into wine, which will first be sacrificed to the god of "Zongbala", then to the ancestors, at last the families will drink and talk about the harvest.
• Zhuangshan Festival(转山节)
The date is not fixed. Sometimes it falls on in the lunar October, sometimes in the lunar July.
