Mule and Horse Trade Fair in Yongsheng County, Lijiang

Chinese Name:永胜县九月骡马会
English Name: Mule and Horse Trade Fair (September) in Yongsheng County, Lijiang
Location: Yongsheng County, Lijiang, China

Mule and Horse Trade Fair is a traditional festival of Naxi ethnic minority. It is held in seventh lunar month and last for one week. The most merchandises of this trade is mule, horse, ox and sheep. More then 10 thousand of mule and horse attract trader from Yunnan, Henan, Anhui, Tibet and Nepal. There are also some activities such as horse racing, sing Dian folk song and act in an opera during the festival.

Yongsheng Mule and Horse Trade Fair was held in ninth lunar month since 1919. Usually the date is fifth to fifteenth September lunar calendar. Horse racing is inevitable and significant activity in Yongsheng Mule and Horse Trade Fair. They also  sing Dian folk song and match the antithetical couplet on the stage. 1940, Hailiu Horse with black mane and tail won the honor of best horse in trade fair so far.

Translated by Brett Mo/莫宏亮