Guangnan County Culture
Guangnan is on the border of Yunan and Guangxi. Here live the Zhuang, Yao and Miao people. Bamei Zhuang village is another Shangri-la in Yunnan. The village is reputed as one of the most isolated communities of Zhuang minority in Guangnan. Bamei is a village without roads. Even up to now, the underground part of Bamei River has been the only access in and out of the village.
The principle nationalities inhabiting Guangnan county are the Zhuang and the Miao. They have different habit of living: Zhuang used to live at the headwaters region, while Miao like to live at the top of a mountain. The ancestor of Miao was good at hunting. The hunters were often injured and bleeding. They chewed a kind of weed and used the chewed weed to put on the wound to stop the bleeding, the wound was sealed just like by a lacquer. It is now one of the famous medicines in China.
Guangnan county is a place inhabited by eleven ethnic minorities. Therefore, celebrating the festivals altogether with local minorities in the most interesting thing. Danu Festival is the grandest festival of the whole for the Yao ethnic minority. In addition, lotus festival, torch festival and many other local traditional celebrations are undoubtedly temptations for visitors. There are many resources including plants, animals, minerals.
Huajie (Flower Street) Festival is one of the grandest traditional festivals of the Zhuang people living in Guangnan County. As a matter of fact, the Flower Street Festival is the “Valentine’s Day” of the Zhuangs.
Annually held around lunar March 3rd, the festival is mainly spent by the Nong People (a branch of the Zhuang Minority) most of who are found living in Nalun, Zhetu and Zhulin towns of Guangnan County. The festival is said to originate from the efforts of the Zhuang people to smash the feudal marital system for a free romantic world.
During the festival, lasses and lads in their holiday’s best will head for the street jubilantly. What highlights the festival is that live antiphonally-singing by the young people. Elegant gifts will be presented when Mr. Right or Ms. Right is found.
