New Rice Festival (Xinmijie) of Hani Ethnic Minority
Chinese Name: 哈尼族新米节
English Name: New Rice Festival (Xinmijie) of Hani Ethnic Minority
The New Rice Festival is a traditional agricultural festival among the Hani people. Known as “Chi Xin Mi Fan” in Hani language, it is also called “Che Shi Zha” in Honghe Prefecture, translated as the New Rice Festival in Chinese. In some places, it’s referred to as “Ka Nu Chou Ye” or “Yue Pu Mo Qie.” It is held annually in the eighth lunar month when the rice fields turn a purplish color with the ripening of the rice grains.
The Hani people celebrate this festival on a selected auspicious day, often choosing a dragon day because in Hani language, “dragon” signifies “increasing” and “adding.”
On the morning of the festival day, each household head goes to the edge of the rice fields and selects a tall, well-formed rice ear. They pluck a small amount of rice grains, wrap them in tree leaves, and hang them in the fields to symbolize abundant harvests. They also take a handful of rice ears back home to shell into new rice, which is cooked into new rice dishes and served alongside new rice wine. The village leaders or relatives are invited to the feast.
During the festivities, they also pop some of the new rice into popcorn. Before dinner, every family offers new rice and rice popcorn to their ancestors and feeds rice popcorn to their dogs.
According to legends, in ancient times, all crops were washed away during a great flood. After the waters receded, a small bird found a rice ear and was about to peck it when a dog scared away the bird and retrieved the grain. This marked the re-establishment of rice cultivation among the people. Therefore, during the New Rice Festival, it’s customary to first offer rice to the dogs. Another legend tells of a heavenly maiden, Ema, who secretly brought rice seeds to earth and taught the Hani people how to cultivate them. In anger, the heavenly gods punished her by turning her into a dog, but the Hani people honor her contributions every year during this festival.
After the rituals are completed, family members and guests enjoy a hearty meal of rice dishes and new rice wine. It is believed that the more they eat, the fuller they become, ensuring that the rice grains will be plump and plentiful during the autumn harvest. After the New Rice Festival, the Hani people begin their harvest season using sickles.
