Overview

• Chinese Name: 河口县布依族牛王节
• English Name: Ox King Festival (Niuwang) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority in Hekou County, Honghe
• Location: Hekou County, Honghe

The Ox King Festival, known as the Niuwang Festival, is an important cultural celebration for the Buyi Ethnic Minority in Hekou County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. This vibrant festival reflects the rich cultural heritage of the Buyi people and is centered around agricultural activities, particularly the vital role of oxen in rice farming.The Ox King Festival of the Buyi Ethnic Minority in Hekou County is more than just a celebration; it is a vital expression of cultural identity, agricultural heritage, and community spirit. Through rituals, music, dance, and shared meals, the festival reflects the deep connection the Buyi people have with their land and traditions. By honoring the oxen, they celebrate the essential role these animals play in their agricultural practices, ensuring the continuity of their cultural practices for generations to come.

Key Features of the Ox King Festival:

1. Cultural Significance: The Ox King Festival honors the oxen, which are regarded as symbols of strength, hard work, and prosperity. In Buyi culture, oxen are essential for plowing fields, making them integral to agricultural success. The festival expresses gratitude and respect for these animals.
2. Rituals and Offerings: During the festival, various rituals are performed to honor the oxen. This includes making offerings of food, flowers, and incense to the Ox King, a spiritual representation of the ox. These ceremonies are deeply rooted in the agricultural calendar, typically coinciding with the start of the farming season.
3. Traditional Music and Dance: The celebration features traditional music and dance performances. Participants often wear colorful ethnic costumes, showcasing the unique styles of the Buyi people. The dances may narrate historical stories or reflect daily life, celebrating the community’s heritage.
4. Ox Procession: One of the highlights of the festival is the ox procession, where beautifully decorated oxen are paraded through the streets. This spectacle is not only a show of strength but also a joyous display of community spirit, drawing locals and visitors alike.
5. Culinary Delights: Food plays a significant role in the festivities. Traditional Buyi dishes are prepared and shared among the community, reinforcing social bonds. Dishes often include rice, meat, and various local specialties.
6. Community Gathering: The festival serves as a platform for community bonding. Families and friends come together to celebrate, reinforcing cultural identity and solidarity among the Buyi people. It is also an opportunity for cultural exchange and understanding with other ethnic groups.
7. Agricultural Activities: The Niuwang Festival is closely linked to the agricultural calendar, signifying the beginning of the farming season. Educational activities may be held to inform younger generations about farming practices and the importance of oxen in sustaining their livelihoods.

Overview

• Chinese Name: 布依族跳月
• English Name: Tiaoyue Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

The Tiaoyue Festival is an important cultural celebration for the Buyi ethnic minority, primarily found in the Guizhou Province of China, but also present in surrounding regions. This vibrant festival is celebrated to honor the lunar New Year and the months of agricultural labor. It is one of the most significant and colorful festivals for the Buyi people, showcasing their rich cultural heritage and traditions.

Background and Origin

The Tiaoyue Festival, also known as the “Moon Festival,” has its roots in ancient agricultural customs. Traditionally, it is held to celebrate the first full moon of the lunar calendar year, marking a time of renewal and rebirth. The festival symbolizes the end of winter and the beginning of spring, as well as the hope for a bountiful harvest ahead.

The name “Tiaoyue” can be loosely translated as “greeting the moon.” This reflects the festival’s connection to lunar cycles, as the moon has historically played a significant role in agricultural practices and rituals among the Buyi people. The festival is characterized by various traditional activities that emphasize gratitude for nature’s bounty and the continuation of cultural traditions.

Local Activities

The Tiaoyue Festival is marked by several joyous festivities and activities that bring the community together. Some key elements of the celebration include:

1. Ceremonial Offerings:
   • The festival often begins with ceremonies that include offerings to ancestors and deities, usually featuring rice, fruits, and livestock. These offerings express gratitude and seek blessings for the new year.
2. Singing and Dancing:
   • Music and dance are integral parts of the Tiaoyue Festival. The Buyi people are known for their unique musical traditions, and the festival is filled with traditional songs sung in their native language.
   • Various lively group dances create an atmosphere of joy and celebration, allowing participants to showcase their vibrant traditional attire and engage in communal merriment.
3. Feasting:
   • A central aspect of the festival is the gathering of family and friends to share festive meals. Traditional dishes prepared for the occasion often include rice, fish, vegetables, and special snacks unique to the Buyi culture.
   • The communal sharing of food symbolizes unity and togetherness among families and friends.
4. Cultural Performances:
   • Various cultural performances may take place during the festival, showcasing folk traditions such as storytelling, dramatic presentations, and local crafts. This helps preserve cultural heritage and allows younger generations to learn about their customs.
5. Games and Competitions:
   • The Tiaoyue Festival often includes traditional games and competitions, reflecting community spirit and camaraderie. Activities may involve racing, tug-of-war, or skill-based games that encourage participation from all ages.
   • These games provide a sense of fun and friendly competition, strengthening bonds among community members.
6. Dress and Decorations:
   • Participants often wear traditional Buyi clothing, which is decorated with intricate embroidery and designs representing their cultural heritage. Homes may also be adorned with traditional decorations to create an inviting festive atmosphere.

Conclusion

The Tiaoyue Festival is a vibrant celebration that represents the cultural identity and agricultural practices of the Buyi ethnic minority. Through its rich traditions of music, dance, food, and communal activities, the festival fosters a sense of belonging and community among the Buyi people. It serves as a vital occasion for expressing gratitude, celebrating cultural heritage, and reinforcing social ties within the community. As such, it continues to hold great significance for the Buyi people and plays an essential role in the preservation of their unique cultural identity.

Overview of the Festival

• Chinese Name: 马关县布依族牛王节/牧童节/开秧节
• English Name: Niuwang Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority in Maguan County, Wenshan

The Niuwang Festival is a traditional celebration of the Buyi ethnic minority, particularly significant in Maguan County of Wenshan Prefecture in Yunnan Province, China. This vibrant festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm and involves a series of culturally rich activities that reflect the unique traditions, values, and agricultural practices of the Buyi people.

Background and Origin

The Niuwang Festival, also known as the “Cattle Worship Festival,” typically takes place during the lunar month of October, coinciding with the harvest season. The festival’s name translates to “Cattle King Festival” or “Festival of Cattle,” highlighting its deep-rooted connections to agriculture and the significance of cattle in the daily lives and livelihoods of the Buyi people.

Historically, the Niuwang Festival serves as a time to honor and celebrate the contributions of cattle to farming and sustenance. Cattle are seen as vital for tilling the fields and are integral to the agricultural cycle. The festival is not only a time for expressing gratitude for the year’s harvest but also for celebrating the health and vitality of the livestock that support the community’s agricultural practices.

Local Activities

1. Ritualistic Activities:
   • The festival begins with rituals dedicated to the worship of cattle, where villagers prepare offerings such as rice, vegetables, and sometimes even fruits to honor their livestock. These rituals seek blessings for a successful future harvest and healthy cattle.
2. Sacrifices and Prayers:
   • Special ceremonies may involve the slaughtering of livestock, particularly cattle, as part of the sacrificial offerings to show appreciation to the deities. The meat is often shared among the community, reinforcing the collective nature of the festival.
3. Traditional Music and Dance:
   • Music and dance play a crucial role in the festivities. The Buyi people are known for their unique folk music, which is often performed with traditional instruments. Various dances are also performed, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Buyi community.
   • Community members often participate in group dances, creating a lively atmosphere that fosters joy and unity among participants.
4. Performances:
   • Local artists may present performances that include storytelling, folk dramas, and other traditional art forms that highlight Buyi culture and history. These performances allow for the intergenerational transmission of cultural knowledge and skills.
5. Feasting:
   • A highlight of the festival is the communal feasting that takes place. Families and friends gather to share a meal made up of traditional dishes, which often include rice, meat, vegetables, and special festival delicacies. This act of sharing food echoes the community’s values of unity and togetherness.
6. Games and Competitions:
   • The festival often features various games and competitions that encourage participation among community members. These activities can include traditional sports, races, and contests that showcase strength, skill, and teamwork.
   • Such activities not only provide entertainment but also strengthen community bonds and cooperation.

Conclusion

The Niuwang Festival in Maguan County is a vibrant reflection of the Buyi ethnic minority’s agricultural heritage and cultural identity. With its emphasis on gratitude, community, and cultural expression, the festival plays a vital role in maintaining the traditions and values of the Buyi people. Through rituals, performances, music, dance, and communal feasting, the Niuwang Festival fosters a strong sense of belonging and continuity within the Buyi community while celebrating the importance of cattle in their way of life.

Overview

• Chinese Name: 布依族跳花会
• English Name: Tiaohuahui Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority
• Time: From the first to the twenty-first day of the first month of the lunar calendar

Activity Process

Every festival, the young girls wear brightly colored embroidered dresses, adorned with beautiful button closures, while the young men dress in front-opening shirts, fastening their waistbands with ties, and play wooden flutes, all with smiles on their faces. Enthusiastic young women lead the young men’s horses from five villages and eight hamlets, from the unseen slopes, to the venue of the flower dance festival, which is a flat expanse of meadow beside a crystal-clear little river, with a forest of toong trees full of flower buds to the north. The area is bustling with the sounds of people shouting and horses neighing, filled with laughter and chatter, with at least a thousand people present. The big leather drum thunders through the valley like a bolt of lightning, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, rising and falling, complemented by the clashing sound of cymbals, creating an intoxicating atmosphere!

In the field, young men and women gather in groups, swaying and dancing, singing ancient ballads. The melodies are beautiful, and the dance steps are light as feathers. By the riverbank, young couples play the “leyou,” strum the moon lute, and blow wooden flutes, their eyes sparkling like the river water, expressing passionate love for one another, their reflections undulating in the water, creating another captivating scene. Close to the toong forest, a stage has been set up where a splendid Bouyei opera is being performed, rich in variety, filling the entire meadow with a joyful and pleasant atmosphere. As they sing and dance, before they realize it, the sun begins to set behind the slopes, the evening glow spreads over the flower buds in the toong forest, and people reluctantly mount their horses and gradually leave the meadow.

Meaning

The Flower Dance Festival is also a matchmaking event for the young men and women, where they sow the seeds of love on the grassy meadow. On the last day of the festival, the twenty-first (known as “Union”), they announce the conclusion of the annual Flower Dance Festival.

The twenty-second is known as “Sheep-Tethering Day,” which signifies the engagement. On this day, young people bring a “sheep” back home (symbolizing bringing the girl back to meet the family) to assess the family background of the prospective spouse and to determine their lifelong commitment. Many young men go to the meadow on this day to bring their future brides back to the village. However, the shy young women hesitate to step over the threshold of their suitor’s home. Instead, they merely sneak a peek from the hillside or in the woods to see where their suitor’s family is located. After the twenty-second, work begins in earnest as spring plowing starts, and people immerse themselves in the busy spring agricultural production to secure a bountiful harvest of grain, cotton, and sugar for the following year and to contribute to the development of the mountainous area, engaging in a new struggle!

Local Activities

1. Dancing and Singing

• Flower Dance Performance: The festival features vibrant traditional dance performances, where young men and women showcase their skills while dancing to lively music. The dances often reflect the themes of love and community.
• Singing Competitions: Participants sing traditional folk songs and ballads, which often express themes of love, nature, and daily life. The songs and dances create a festive atmosphere, and everyone typically joins in the fun.

2. Matchmaking

• Cultural Bridge: The festival serves as an opportunity for young men and women to meet and flirt. It creates a festive environment where romantic relationships can blossom.
• “Union Day” on the 21st: On the last day of the festival, known as “Union Day,” couples can decide to formalize their relationships, marking an important milestone in their romantic journey.

3. Sheep-Tethering Day

• Engagement Ceremony: The day following the festival, known as “Sheep-Tethering Day,” symbolizes engagements. Young men bring a sheep back to their homes, representing their intention to marry. This day is crucial for assessing family compatibility and establishing future commitments.

4. Food and Feasting

• Traditional Foods: The festival features an array of local delicacies, where families come together to prepare and share traditional dishes. Food plays a central role in celebrating and bringing the community together.
• Banquets and Gatherings: Following the various performances, communal meals and banquets are common, fostering a sense of togetherness and celebration among participants.

5. Rituals and Customs

• Cultural Rituals: The festival includes rituals that honor ancestors and express gratitude for harvests. This may involve prayers and offerings to ensure good fortune and blessings for the upcoming agricultural season.
• Dress and Adornment: Participants often wear traditional clothing, which is colorful and intricately designed. The attire reflects the cultural identity of the Buyi people and adds to the visual beauty of the festival.

6. Games and Competitions

• Traditional Games: Various games and competitions are organized, including athletic contests, quizzes, and other fun activities that encourage participation and add to the festive spirit.
• Craft Exhibitions: Showcasing traditional crafts (like weaving and embroidery) creates an environment for cultural exchange and appreciation for local artisanship.

Conclusion

The Tiaohuahui Festival is not only a time for celebration and enjoyment but also a vital expression of the Buyi people’s cultural heritage, traditions, and values. It reinforces community bonds, promotes cultural continuity, and allows the younger generation to connect with their roots. The festival emphasizes love, relationships, and the passing down of cultural practices, making it a cherished event for the Buyi ethnic minority.

Basic Introduction of The Festival

• Chinese Name: 布依族吃新节/尝新节
• English Name: Chixin (Changxin) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority
• Geographical Indication: Gelao ethnic group, Miao, Buyi, Bai, Zhuang, and Dong ethnic groups
• Date: Seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar

“Eating New Festival” is a traditional festival celebrated by the Gelao ethnic group and the Miao, Buyi, Bai, Zhuang, and Dong ethnic minorities in provinces such as Hunan, Guizhou, and Guangxi. It occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The festival takes place around the time when the new rice is ready, usually in the sixth or seventh lunar month.

Before the festival, housewives go to the fields to pick fresh rice and pound it into fragrant white rice. On the morning of the festival, each household steams the new rice and cooks fresh fish, inviting elderly guests and bringing children to the fields to worship their ancestors. Then, the whole family gathers for a meal to wish for a bountiful harvest of grains.

During the Eating New Festival, firecrackers and land cannons are set off to celebrate and clear the village. There are performances of traditional “Nuo” plays, singing mountain songs, and martial arts displays. The village elders use a sieve to hold chickens, meat, and wine, inserting bamboo poles decorated with red chili peppers and green garlic at the edges of the fields to symbolize sending off the ancestors. During the festival, the Gelao people also hold activities for releasing living creatures, focusing mainly on wild animals and fish. Today, the Eating New Festival is celebrated most grandly in Gelao villages such as Xixiuwanzi Village and Dagouchang in Pingba.

On November 21, 2020, in Wuwan Village, Yangwu Town, Danzhai County, Guizhou Province, members of the ethnic minority community dressed in traditional attire prepared for the celebrations at the Lusheng performance venue. On that day, the traditional “Eating New Festival” was held in Wuwan Village, Danzhai County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou Province.

Festival Time

The festival occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, also known as “Tasting New Festival,” “Half-Year Festival,” and in Bai language, it is called “Yinguo Ding.” It is a grand festival in rural areas. Farmers pick a small amount of ripe rice ears from the fields, rub them into rice grains, cook them into new rice, and prepare chickens and ducks for a family feast, which is called “Tasting New.” Before the banquet, they first offer the food to heaven and earth, worship their ancestors, then feed the new rice to the dogs, and finally, according to the age order in the family, taste the new rice. According to folklore, the rice seeds were stolen by dogs from the heavens when there was no rice in the world. The dog swam across the sea to heaven, rolled in the grain seeds, and returned covered in grains. When floating back down the Milky Way, the grains were washed away, leaving only a few grains stuck to its raised tail. After bringing them back to the earth, rice was produced.

During the early autumn season when the rice ears are turning yellow, the Bai farmers joyfully celebrate their ethnic agricultural festival, the Tasting New Festival, to “initially enjoy” the fruits of their labor earned through hard work.

A few days before the Tasting New Festival, freshly dressed aunts, sisters-in-law, and young women wear straw hats made of wheat straw and carry bamboo baskets on their backs to select the early-ripening and abundant rice ears from the fields. Before entering the fields, they also light red incense sticks and place them on the edge of the field.

Festival Rituals

Commonly known as “Eating New Festival,” it is a traditional festival of the Gelao, Miao, Buyi, Bai, and Zhuang ethnic groups, especially prominent among the Gelao. It takes place on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar every year.

Led by a village elder or ghost master, young boys and girls go to nearby fields to collect new crops, picking some ripe grains and fruits to hang under an ancient tree. Then, they slaughter pigs, sheep, and chickens, using whole chickens, pig heads, sheep heads, nine strands of pork, and twenty-four bowls of rice to worship their ancestors and deities. Clan members kneel in order of their generations and pay respects to their ancestors, while the ghost master recites in Gelao language, using a bamboo whip to teach about the five grains and six livestock. The attendees follow along like obedient students.

Festival Activities

After completing the Tasting New Festival rituals, firecrackers and land cannons are set off to celebrate, with performances of traditional “Nuo” plays, singing mountain songs, and martial arts displays. The village elders use a sieve to hold chickens, meat, and wine, inserting bamboo poles adorned with red chili peppers and green garlic at the ends of the fields to symbolize sending off the ancestors. During the festival, the Gelao people also hold activities for releasing living creatures, mainly focusing on wild animals and fish. Today, the Eating New Festival is celebrated most grandly in Gelao villages such as Xixiuwanzi Village and Dagouchang in Pingba.

Local Customs

Bai Ethnic Group

During the early autumn season, when the rice ears are just turning yellow, the Bai farmers joyfully celebrate their agricultural festival known as the Tasting New Festival, referred to as “Yinguo Ding” in Bai language. In the days leading up to the festival, freshly dressed aunts, sisters-in-law, and young women don straw hats and carry bamboo baskets to the rice fields to harvest early-ripening, abundant rice ears. Before entering the fields, they light red incense and place it at the edge of the fields. The fragrant smoke wafts in the air, accompanied by laughter and joy as they anticipate a fruitful harvest…

After drying the harvested rice, they use a water-powered mill to grind it. During these days, the sounds of rice pounding in some villages resemble rhythmic and harmonious rural melodies.

On the Tasting New Festival day, older adults and young children enjoy activities under the large locust trees in the village, whether listening to traditional songs or watching performances of whips; young men and women gather by the lakeside or in the fields to sing duets accompanied by traditional instruments; meanwhile, housewives cook new rice and prepare the “Eight Big Bowls” of dishes.

As the sun sets, casting shadows on the mountains, people carry their banquets and light incense to pay homage to “God of Fields” and “God of Grains” in the fields, before returning home to honor “God of the Kitchen” and their ancestors. Only after these rituals do they sit around the table for dinner.

The dinner on Tasting New Festival is quite elaborate, featuring Bai delicacies like braised spare ribs with mung beans, chicken with white papaya, eel cooked with tofu, and fried milk cakes, commonly seen on many tables.

There is no fixed date for the Bai Tasting New Festival. Each village or family celebrates the festival based on when their rice ears ripen.

The customs of the Bai people in celebrating the Tasting New Festival have a long history. In his book “Dian Lue: Customs,” the Ming Dynasty scholar Xie Zhao wrote, “At the turn of summer and autumn, when the rice is not yet ripe, the tender ears are harvested early, dried flat, and gifted to dear ones, known as tasting new.”

In recent years, discussions on which family has the best paddy, which varieties have been selected, and measures for increased yield often become hot topics on Tasting New Festival day.

Zhuang Ethnic Group

The Tasting New Festival is held around the seventh and eighth months of the lunar calendar when the new grains are ripe. Generally, families celebrate individually, but some invite neighboring relatives and friends to join in. On this day, every household cooks new rice and prepares sumptuous dishes. Women rise early to cut green rice leaves to offer at the altar, prepare dishes and fruits, then light incense and lamps. Once preparations are complete, they call the dog to the altar, serve a generous scoop of new rice, and let it eat from each dish first to honor its contribution.

Jingpo Ethnic Group

The Jingpo people’s Tasting New Festival is colloquially known as “Eating New Grains.” Originally, it was a primitive religious ceremony held after the grains had essentially ripened before the autumn harvest. During the tasting, people from different tribes and villages gather, with old women in festive attire responsible for the rice tasting. Bamboo baskets filled with rice are decorated with grains, beans, sorghum, and colorful flowers. The harvested rice is covered with large, round green leaves, then brought back to the households, where elderly women stir-fry it in a pot, and then young women pound it by hand. The pounded rice is mixed with ginger and presided over by a shaman, who thanks the gods for the bountiful harvest. After the rituals, the shaman throws small packets of new grains and vegetables wrapped in green leaves for wild spirits to share. Although everyone in the village participates, each person only receives a small packet of new rice, cooking with older rice as a supplement. Official tasting begins only after rituals at the mountain chief or leader’s home are concluded.

After 1980, some Jingpo regions revived the Tasting New Festival, usually celebrated around the eighth or ninth lunar months. Before harvesting, the host cuts some new grains with respect and carries them home to offer in the “ghost house.” Offerings include eggs, wine, and sticky rice, and shamans pray to “Household Spirits” and other spirits to protect the unharvested grains from disasters. After the prayers, the offerings are shared by the shaman and elders. The main meal is served first to the dog, then the family and guests can eat, as the legend states that dogs fetched the grains from the heavens, making them particularly honored.

Dong Ethnic Group

“On June 6, the early rice ripens.” The Dong people celebrate Tasting New Festival on this date, with some choosing an auspicious day. The Tasting New Festival is a common festival among the Dong, varying slightly in content from place to place. On this day, the dog is regarded as an honored guest; the new rice is cooked, and only after the dog has tasted it may people partake, as legend holds that in ancient times, amidst devastating floods, a white divine dog swam across the sea and rolled in the grain pile of the Queen Mother of the West, returning with a few grains at its tail. Humans survived from these precious grains, and to commemorate the dog’s contributions, it is invited to taste the new rice first.

Achang Ethnic Group

Among the Achang people in the Lianghe and Longchuan regions, it’s customary to celebrate the Tasting New Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. On this day, they pull out the most fruitful taro and cut a dual-ear corn stalk, bundling them on a bamboo pole and placing them in a corner of the home before cooking new rice. After the rice is ready, one bowl is fed to the dog before the family gathers for a meal.

The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is a day of reunion and happiness, also celebrated as the traditional Tasting New Festival for Yi people, known as “Qie Xi Zuo Pu.” By this time, the early rice has matured, and people harvest, dry, and store the new grains. It’s essential to showcase the new rice on this festival day, and in case of inclement weather, they dry it by the stove and ensure they get to eat new rice for the holiday.

Yi Ethnic Group

Before the Yi people start their Tasting New Festival meal, they first serve a large bowl of rice to fill the family dog, after which the family can begin to eat. This custom has an unusual origin. It is said that during ancient times, when floods engulfed the world, leading to the extinction of living beings, the ancestors of the Yi, siblings Adu and his sister, sheltered themselves and their dog under a gourd, drifting until they reached the willow bay by Boluo Sea. When the flood receded, they found that the gourd was stuck in the willow tree, and at dawn when the rooster crowed and the dog barked, a divine eagle descended and broke the gourd, allowing the siblings to survive and ensuring the continuation of humanity. After their escape, they joyfully discovered grains were stuck to the dog’s tail, and two beans were wedged beneath the dog. This led to the survival of the grain species despite the floods, and since then, the Yi have regarded dogs as symbols of good fortune and life partners, taking care to refrain from eating dog meat. On holidays and major celebrations, the dog is always fed first before the humans eat. Additionally, the Yi hold their roosters in high regard, as they believe roosters can predict good and bad omens, which must be interpreted before embarking on hunting trips.

When celebrating, the eldest must preside over the meal, with guests sitting centrally to show respect. The younger generations await their turn to serve themselves, as failing to do so could be considered disrespectful. During the banquet, Yi girls might sneakily refill your rice bowl, indicating you should eat well but avoiding wastefulness.

At night, young and old gather under the bright moon, playing gourd instruments and drums while dancing around the bonfire to perform the joyful “Qie Tuo Gu.” Unmarried youth pair off, play with willow leaves, and sing love songs, holding hands within the tranquil bamboo groves of the village…

Lahu Ethnic Group

The Tasting New Festival is a traditional holiday for the Lahu ethnic group, known phonetically as “Zha Si E Zha,” meaning New Rice Festival, and is held in the seventh or eighth lunar month for one day. During this harvest season, the first family to have ripe grains hosts the new rice tasting. On this day, the host family slaughters pigs and chickens, inviting neighbors, relatives, and friends to taste the new rice and enjoy abundant food and drink. Before the banquet starts, they light incense candles and offer a bowl of new rice to the gods and ancestral spirits, then feed a bowl to the dog before serving livestock and farming tools.

According to legend, Eshe created the Lahu ancestors Zadi and Nadi, who were married as per Eshe’s will, leading to offspring. At that time, people had no grains to eat and survived on dirt. Eshe sent dogs to bring grains to people and taught them to plant. The Lahu people express gratitude to Eshe by offering the first new rice to Eshe and the ancestral spirits each year. They also remember the dog, so the first bowl of new rice must be given to the dog.

Yao Ethnic Group

The Yao ethnic group has numerous folkloric festivals, including the Panwang Festival, Singing Festival, Tasting New Festival, Bullfighting Festival, and Women’s Festival. Each festival is rich in meaning and significance. For instance, the Panwang Festival and Singing Festival commemorate the legendary ancestor Panwang of the Yao people. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, believed to be Panwang’s birthday, the Yao people sing the “Panwang Song” to express their gratitude to Panwang.

The sixth day of the sixth lunar month is Yao people’s Tasting New Festival. On this day, they harvest the earliest crops of corn, rice, etc., and prepare them into meals to feed the dogs first before the family can eat. This tradition stems from the myth that the grains were brought by dogs. Legend has it that during migration, the Yao ancestors encountered storms, and their food fell into the sea. In a moment of despair, someone joyfully found a few grains stuck to the dog’s tail and planted them, nurturing them, resulting in a bountiful harvest in the autumn. This gratitude is expressed by cooking the rice first for the dog.

The “Women’s Festival” occurs on the second day of the second lunar month, when Yao women share their prepared banana cakes with each other in remembrance of Panjin Mei, who contributed to the Yao people’s lineage.

Lisu Ethnic Group

The Tasting New Festival—a custom of the Lisu ethnic group in Yunnan’s Dehong region—takes place during the harvest season. The Lisu people have unique customs that have persisted after settling in the area about 200 years ago, living alongside various other ethnic groups. The Dehong Lisu Tasting New Festival is a grand celebration, translating directly as “New Year,” featuring various activities. On the celebration’s eve, elders ceremonially present offerings of food such as wine, meat, and cakes to the spirits of heaven, earth, and ancestors, symbolically placing food on the framework of the fireplace, door, and pillars. To honor the efforts of the farming ox and the ancestors of dogs who provided the seeds, they first allow these animals to taste the festive foods. On New Year’s Day, everyone sings and dances, playing traditional instruments like the sanxian, bamboo zither, sheng, and flute, engaging all the young and old in joyful performances. On the second day, hunting and target shooting events are held, marking the start of the new year’s labor. In larger villages, swings are erected, providing ten days of entertainment for participants.

In the past, the Dehong Lisu Tasting New Festival was less lively due to poverty and scattered living conditions. However, since the establishment of New China, improved economic conditions and social unity have enhanced festival activities. The Dehong Lisu Tasting New Festival in 1989 and 1990 was held in Nongxian Village, a Lisu settlement in Longchuan County, where they created a spacious venue and established a permanent Tasting New Festival marker: a 12-meter-tall brick structure featuring an ancestral hero with a bow and arrow.

The festival’s highlights include playing swings, singing, and dancing, with special emphasis on the “Climbing the Knife Mountain” athletic display. This performance involves climbing a 20-meter-high knife ladder made from 36 sharp knives, showcasing the bravery of Lisu people and their spirit of resilience.

She Ethnic Group

The She ethnic group in eastern Fujian has a tradition of holding a “Tasting New” ceremony during the autumn rice harvest season, selecting an auspicious day for the event. Freshly harvested rice is pounded into flour and cooked into white rice cakes and sticky rice, offered in gratitude to heaven, earth, and ancestors for their blessings, before inviting the neighboring community to share in the harvest’s joy. This annual event, called the “Tasting New Festival” (also known as the “Food New Festival”), is celebrated on September 23, coinciding with the autumn equinox.

In the village of Xita in the Muyun She Township, it is famous for its scenic beauty. The “Xiuxi” stream flows down from the White Cloud Mountain, creating a renowned grape valley that stretches for many kilometers, adorned with lush greenery, resembling a lengthy tapestry from afar. During summer and autumn, strolling along this stream provides a refreshing and soothing experience amidst the cool shade and gentle flowing water.

The grapes here are locally known as “thorn grapes,” offering rich juice and sweetness without sourness, well sought after in the market, often priced higher than popular varieties, making it a vital product of Xita. The stream is also affectionately called “Wealth Source Stream” by the locals.

Xita is one of the birthplaces of the blue-surname She people in eastern Fujian. “Xiita Blue” holds the same renown as “Dalin Zhong” and “Houmenping Lei,” with many blue-surname clans returning annually to connect with their ancestry through rituals. Today, the village consists of over a hundred households, mostly descended from the Ru’nan Blue clan.

Additionally, Xita is one of the notable She culture villages, having successfully hosted large She song festivals and cultural celebrations, welcoming leaders, scholars, and media from various levels. Xita village undoubtedly stands as one of the most charming She villages in eastern Fujian.

In the seventh or eighth lunar month, when a household begins to harvest rice, that day becomes their Tasting New Festival or “Food New Festival.”

According to She tradition, the rice harvest must first be on an auspicious day. After harvesting, the first crop of rice is milled and cooked into white rice, three bowls are scooped and offered alongside incense at a bamboo sieve placed on a drying platform as offerings to heaven and earth, followed by more offerings to the left and right shrines and the kitchen god. After these rites, they prepare additional dishes and wine to invite families and neighbors to enjoy together. During the tasting, respect is shown by letting elder family members eat first; it is believed that “the more people taste, the more rice is available.” After the meal, a bowl of rice is left on the table, known as “leftover warehouse.”

Historical Legends

It is said that in ancient times there were great floods that engulfed the earth, leading to widespread suffering and the extinction of life. The ancestors of the Yi people, siblings Adu, along with their pet dog and a rooster, took refuge in a gourd during the flooding. After enduring many hardships, they eventually drifted to a bay of willows by the Boluo Sea. When the waters receded, the gourd they hid in was stuck in a willow tree. As dawn broke with a rooster’s crowing and the dog’s barking, a divine eagle flew down, pecked open the gourd, and allowed Adu and his sister to survive. From that moment, humanity was able to continue.

After their escape, Adu and his sister happily discovered that a few grains were stuck in the dog’s fur and two lentils were wedged beneath the dog’s leg—evidence that the dog had once played on a pile of grains before the floods arrived. Thanks to the dog’s contributions, the grains did not become extinct during the Flood, enabling human survival. From then on, the Yi people regarded dogs as symbols of good fortune and life-saving companions. They take great care of their dogs, always keeping them close during work in agriculture, as well as refraining from eating dog meat. On every festival or important celebration, they feed the dog first before having their own meals. The Yi also cherish the crowing rooster, as they believe it can predict good and bad omens before embarking on hunting expeditions, considering the rooster as knowledgeable with an innate ability to foresee future fortunes.

The Legend of the She Ethnic Group

Among the She people’s ritual activities, the Tasting New Festival holds significant anthropological meaning as it relates to the myth of the origin of rice seeds. In this legend, rice was originally celestial pearl rice in heaven. The ancestor of the She people, Panhu, could not bear to see his people starving on grasses, so he stole rice grains from heaven. However, his act was discovered by the Jade Emperor, who sent celestial soldiers to pursue him. Panhu fought bravely but ultimately fell from the cliffs of Fenghuang Mountain in Chaozhou and died on a tree branch, scattering the rice grains. At that moment, a sparrow flew to the tree and took some grains away, but it accidentally dropped them in a rock crevice. A leech then crawled into the crevice, sticking the rice grains with its slime and eventually bringing them to the human world.

As the rice in the field turned yellow and ripe, Panhu’s wife, Princess San, declared, “This rice was earned at the cost of the previous king’s life; let him taste it first!” From that time on, the She people have had the custom of the Tasting New Festival, where, after harvesting, they offer the first bowl of rice to their ancestor Panhu for him to taste. The sparrow and the leech, having helped humanity, also receive special treatment.

Initially, I did not pay much attention to this myth, but later I came across a mention in the “Records of the Grand Historian,” stating that “the emperor tasted rice with a dog.” This revealed that it was an important sacrificial repaying ritual during the ancient Mengqiu month. Today, people may have forgotten the connection between the dog and rice, but the “tasting rice with a dog” ritual remains. In many places, people first offer new rice to deities and ancestors before serving it to their dogs, and only then do the families have their meal.

The Tasting New Festival of the She people and its legend reveal that the She are one of the oldest rice-farming ethnic groups. Archaeological finds from sites like Hemudu and the Huai River Basin indicate that China, as the origin of rice, has at least an eight-thousand-year history of rice cultivation. Over this long history, a brilliant rice culture has been created, forming an essential part of Chinese civilization, and the origins of this culture are very likely linked to the She and the Eastern Yi ethnic groups.

Significance of Inheritance

The Tasting New Festival, “Tasting New,” is a key to understanding the food culture of Chaozhou and even the mysteries of the Chao people. Historically, food has represented more than mere sustenance; it serves as a way of life that first influences the body and subsequently affects the spirit. Since the Han Dynasty, there has been a saying: “Those who eat meat are brave and defend; those who eat grains are wise and skilled,” indicating that the ancients had already noted the relationship between people and food. Contemporary anthropologist Paris has noted, “Humans are products of the food they consume; not only is their physical body composed of the food consumed, but their spiritual world is also influenced by food.” The food culture of Chaozhou developed primarily under the strong influence of She rice culture, and the dietary habits of the Chao people have shaped the characteristics of their physique, diligence, and cleverness.

Additionally, a broader understanding of rice culture is needed: it broadly refers to agricultural cultures centered around rice. Historically, the fields cultivated by the She included not only dry and wet rice but also beans, wheat, millet, taro, bamboo, vegetables, and tea. After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, sweet potatoes and corn also began to emerge as major crops. Many famous Chao dishes and snacks, such as bamboo shoots cake, radish cake, pingpong cake, and sweet potato porridge, are related to these crops.

Some foods have lost their original characteristics but still relate to rice culture. For example, rice wine is associated with the “Book of Songs” which states, “In the tenth month, we harvest rice for spring wine,” connecting it to rice and the spring festival sacrifices. Moreover, important condiments like soy sauce and doubanjiang mainly derive from legume crops.

Overview of The Festival

• Chinese Name: 布依族二月二节
• English Name: Eryueer (February 2th) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

The Eryueer Festival, celebrated on the second day of the second lunar month, is a traditional festival of the Buyi ethnic minority in China, primarily located in the Guizhou Province. This festival, which is also referred to as the “Dragon Head Raising Festival,” is rich in cultural significance and is associated with agricultural traditions, marking the beginning of spring and the farming season.

Eryueer Festival is not only a time for celebrating the arrival of spring and the agricultural season but also a vital occasion for the Buyi people to reinforce their cultural identity and maintain community bonds. Through various customs and rituals, the festival serves as a reminder of their heritage and connection to nature, reflecting the values and traditions that have been passed down through generations.

Cultural Significance

The Eryueer Festival is rooted in the agrarian lifestyle of the Buyi people, symbolizing the awakening of the earth and the start of agricultural activities. It is a time for communities to come together, celebrate, and express gratitude for nature’s blessings. The date, February 2nd, is believed to be when the dragon, a crucial symbol in Chinese culture representing strength and good fortune, awakens and brings rain, essential for planting and nurturing crops.

Customs and Activities

During the Eryueer Festival, the Buyi people engage in various customs and activities that reflect their unique cultural heritage:

1. Hair Cutting Ceremony: Traditionally, many Buyi people use this festival as an opportunity to cut their hair. It is customary for people, especially young men, to have their hair cut to signify growth and renewal.
2. Sacrifices and Offerings: People will offer sacrifices and food to their ancestors and local deities, thanking them for past blessings and praying for a good harvest in the coming year. This can include rice, fruits, and traditional dishes.
3. Cooking and Festive Foods: The festival features special foods, with families preparing a variety of dishes. One popular dish is the “dragon head” dumpling (often shaped like a dragon), which is made from glutinous rice flour and symbolizes a good harvest.
4. Community Gatherings: The Eryueer Festival is also a time for social interaction. People gather to partake in singing, dancing, and other cultural performances. Traditional music plays a significant role in the celebrations, showcasing the rich heritage of the Buyi people.
5. Ceremonial Activities: Some areas may host dragon dances or other ceremonies that honor agricultural deities, invoking their protection and blessings for the upcoming farming season.

The Overview of The Festival

• Chinese Name: 布依族大年节
• English Name: Danian Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority
• According to local records, the Buyi people “consider the eleventh month as the beginning of the year

The Danian Festival, also known as the “Big Year Festival,” is a significant traditional celebration of the Buyi ethnic minority in China. It is typically celebrated during the first month of the lunar calendar, aligning with the Lunar New Year festivities but has its unique customs and cultural significance.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Danian Festival marks the beginning of a new agricultural year and is a time for the Buyi people to give thanks for past harvests while praying for a bountiful year ahead. It is deeply rooted in their agricultural lifestyle, reflecting the community’s connection to the land and their reliance on farming for sustenance.

Customs and Traditions

1. Family Reunions: Similar to other Lunar New Year celebrations, the Danian Festival is a time for families to come together. Many Buyi people return to their hometowns to celebrate with their relatives, emphasizing the importance of family bonds.
2. Offerings and Prayers: During the festival, families prepare offerings to honor their ancestors and local deities, seeking blessings for health, happiness, and successful harvests in the coming year.
3. Culinary Traditions: Food plays a central role in the festivities. People prepare special dishes, including glutinous rice cakes, and other traditional foods that symbolize prosperity and good fortune.
4. Music and Dance: The Danian Festival includes various cultural performances, featuring traditional songs, dances, and instruments unique to the Buyi people. These performances are a way to express joy and celebrate cultural heritage.
5. Community Activities: In many Buyi communities, there are group activities such as games, folk sports, and cultural competitions. These activities foster a sense of community and togetherness during the festival.

Symbolism

The festival is rich in symbolism, often reflecting themes of renewal, prosperity, and gratitude. The Buyi people believe that participating in these celebrations reinforces their connection to their cultural identity and enhances their relationships with nature and the spiritual world.

In conclusion, the Danian Festival is an essential celebration for the Buyi ethnic minority, combining agricultural significance with rich cultural traditions. It serves as a reminder of the importance of community, familial ties, and the deep connection to their heritage.

Sanyuesan Festival, also called March Third Festival, is an exciting traditional festival of the Buyi people, which held in every 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month of the year. The Buyi people scatter fried corns on the slopes and sing folk songs to pray for a bumper harvest. The festival is full of songs and wonderful folk cultures, which attract flocks of visitors each year.

During the festival, the local young boys and girls come from different parts of the region, singing and dancing together to show their feelings, so the festival is also known as ” Sanyuesan Song Festival”. Some of them like joining in the singing competition, while others like singing in antiphonal style by blowing the tree leaves in the dense forest, or travel in groups along the stream playing with the water and singing cheerfully.

The locals take it as a good chance to find their lovers, and they will present gifts to each other when finding they are congenial. Bamboo Dance is a must during the festival by girls and boys. Some other interesting activities include push-and-pull, wrestling, shooting and swinging and so on.

As a kind of ballad singing, the folk songs of the Buyi ethnic group usually accompanied by eight kinds of musical instruments, the long history can be traced back more than two thousand years ago. The tune and lyrics of the songs were passed down orally from generation to generation. It is usually sung during holidays and weddings. The art form has been recognized as part of China’s intangible cultural heritage.

Chinese Name: 布依族六月六/查白场
English Name: Liuyueliu (June 6th) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

There are many festivals celebrated by the Buyi people. Most of these festivals are associated with holding feasts at the hillside, making friends, playing games, singing songs and courting.

The Zha Bai Song Festival is a traditional festival among the Buyi people in Xingyi area, Guizhou province. It lasts from June 21st to 23rd in lunar calendar. It is prominent in its scale because tens of thousands of people in various kinds of minorities at the counties around will participate in it. In terms of the origin of this festival, legend has it that there was a couple living here long long age. The male named Zha; the female named Bai. They liked each other for some time. One day, when Miss Bai was collecting firewood on the hill, she was barely attacked by a tiger.

Fortunately, Mr. Zha killed the tiger and saved Miss Bai. And then, the love relationship was established. But a local official coveted Miss Bai’s beautiful appearance. As his courting and threatening all failed, he killed Mr. Zha and looted Miss Bai. Finally, Miss Bai set fire on the house of this official and threw herself to the fire to die for love. In memory of the couple, the name of the village was changed into Zha Bai village and the day when Miss Bai died for love was made as a festival and the place where Mr. Zha killed the tiger was taken as the field for singing songs.

Before the festival, every household will wash the bedcovers and the curtains, which are hanging all around the village, symbolizing the surrounding of white clouds and intending for the meaning of clean and clear. In the festival, streams of people walk together to go to Zha Bai village. Young people will not only fully dressed themselves, but they will also carry small articles with them to search for lovers. They hope that they can gain the faithful and persistent love between Mr. Zha and Miss Bai. The main content in the festival is to compete in singing songs. During the day, the competition is in the field while in the evening, they will sing in the yard or within the door. The host provides “colorful rice” (sticky rice dyed with five colors) and “tea” (actually rice wine, because the Buyi people’s costume is to welcome guests with wine instead of tea). They will visit relatives and friends and drinking special soups. It is said that drinking this soup originated from eating the stewed tiger killed by Mr. Zha. Later, the soup was made by stewing beef with tiger bone. Nowadays, most soups are cooked by stewing pork and dog’s meat with spring water. Recently, thanks to the development of market economy, people also do a lot of purchasing besides celebrating the festival. They always come in high spirits and go with satisfaction. The next festival is expected as soon as this just ended.

June 6th Festival is a festival devoted to sacrifice and memory. Its solemnity is only next to the Spring Festival. After the opening and reform, it is made the representative festival of the Buyi people by the local government. During this period of time each year, all areas where the Buyi people inhabit will host celebrating activities. According to the folk legend, June 6th is the day when the forefather of the Buyi people-Pan Gu King died. He and his songs innovated and improved the technique of growing rice, which ensured the better-off lives of ordinary people. Therefore, on June 6th every year, people will offer sacrifice such as chicken, port, and Zongzi (bamboo-leaf wrapped sticky rice) to Pan Gu to pray for the mild weather and full harvest next year. After the founding of PRC, more and more entertaining activities have been added such as visiting relatives and friends, climbing and feasting, performing drums, singing songs, dancing around the fire, rewarding cattle with food and drink, advocating local rules and treaties and so on. There is an extremely fervid and ebullient scenery.

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Festivals of Buyi Ethnic Minority

Ox King Festival (Niuwang) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority in Hekou County, Honghe

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Tiaoyue Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

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Niuwang Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority in Maguan County, Wenshan

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Tiaohuahui Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

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Chixin (Changxin) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

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Eryueer (February 2th) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

Overview of The Festival Chinese Name: 布依族二月二节 English Name: Eryueer (February 2th) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority The Eryueer Festival, celebrated on the second day of the second lunar...

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Danian Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

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Sanyuesan Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

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Zhabai Song Festival and Liuyueliu (June 6th) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority

Chinese Name: 布依族六月六/查白场 English Name: Liuyueliu (June 6th) Festival of Buyi Ethnic Minority There are many festivals celebrated by the Buyi people. Most of these festivals are associated with...

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