Basic Information
The Nine-Sacrifice Ritual (Hani: Gui Ji Tuo 归基托) is the oldest folk sacrificial activity of the Hani people (哈尼族). It is practiced in the three natural villages of Pugui (浦贵), Puhai (浦海), and Shitong (施通), located in Yinyuan Town (因远镇), Yuanjiang Hani, Yi and Dai Autonomous County (元江哈尼族彝族傣族自治县), Yuxi City (玉溪市). These three villages were founded by three Hani brothers during the Hani migration. Historically, the Nine-Sacrifice ceremony was hosted in rotation among the three villages.
Historical Background
The ritual was interrupted and nearly lost in the 1950s, but was successfully revived in the early 1990s in Pugui Village (浦贵村), which has since become the main place for its transmission and practice.
Ritual Activities
Sacrifice Cycle
- Minor Sacrifice: Once every three years, lasting 3 days
- Medium Sacrifice: Once every six years, lasting 5 days
- Major Sacrifice: Once every nine years, lasting 7 days
Sacrifice Timing
The ceremony always begins on the first Chenlong Day (辰龙日) in the second lunar month.
Ritual Procedures and Ceremonies
There are 9 major categories consisting of 26 sets of movements, including:
- Gu Chichi Wo (咕哧哧涡): Circling the village and performing pre-sacrifice offerings
- A Nu Cai Zha (阿奴才咋): Agricultural offerings in the forest to deities and ancestors
- A Bo Men Zu (阿波门祖): Depicts ancestors facing difficulties during migration
- Guo Duo Sa Zha (果多撒咋): Depicts couples working together, showing diligence and harmony
- A Ni Tuo Zha (阿尼托咋): Depicts childbirth and the continuation of the family line
- A La Cuo (阿腊搓): Outdoor dance showing courtship and traditional songs
- Ha Mi Na Ha Zha (哈咪那哈咋): Depicts the search for a bride and free love
- A Ren Pi (阿认皮): “Asking for flowers,” where childless couples seek blessings from those with virtuous children
- Zha Ze Ba Wo La (咋则把涡啦): “Clearing the table,” the closing ritual mirroring the opening ceremony
Cultural Significance
The Nine-Sacrifice Ritual is a historical epic of the Hani people, containing deep ethnographic value. Through this ritual, the Hani transmit knowledge about migration, livelihood, rice farming, love, childbirth, and a reverent worship of life.
Transmission and Protection
The Nine-Sacrifice Ritual is now recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Yunnan Province (云南省). It is supported by the local government and cultural departments. Key inheritors of the ritual in Pugui Village include 13 individuals such as Chen Yufa (陈玉发) and Ni Kede (倪克德).
Methods of Transmission
- Oral Tradition and Demonstration: Elders teach the rituals directly
- Community Involvement: Young people participate in regular ceremonies
- Revival and Development: The ritual was restored in the 1990s and has been growing ever since
Protection Measures
Intangible Cultural Heritage
- In 2006, the Nine-Sacrifice was listed in the first batch of Yunnan’s provincial intangible cultural heritage.
- In 2024, Yuanjiang County (元江县) implemented cultural protection regulations, formally listing the Nine-Sacrifice as a protected project.
Government Support
The Yuanjiang County government provides legal, financial, and promotional support. Cultural festivals and exhibitions help raise awareness.
Community Participation
The local community in Pugui Village actively participates in preservation efforts, organizing events and cultural education to enhance awareness.
Cultural Value
The Nine-Sacrifice is an epic representation of Hani history. It safeguards traditions of migration, life, rice farming, courtship, and birth while instilling reverence for life. It holds great value for studying Hani culture and society.
Significant progress has been made in the transmission and protection of the Nine-Sacrifice. Through the dedication of inheritors, government support, and community engagement, this ancient cultural treasure is finding new life in the modern world.
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Overview
AngMaTu(昴玛突/祭龙日/新米节)-the most magnificent festival of Hani Ethnic Minority(哈尼族) in Yuanyang County(元阳县), Yunnan, which is hold before the begging of spring cultivate season(in the mid-January usually) every year. As a sacrificial activity ,local people pray for good weather to their crops 、fruitful harvest ,all people and domestic animals can be blessed with peace in the next year by this ceremony. As the developing of age, this activity has became the most magnificent festival of Hani Ethnic Minority.
AngMaTu festival will lasting 3-5 days generally, during the festival, the passionate Hani people those are good at singing and dancing would dancing in circle as their pleases without considering your age and gender ,singing for the happy life. The banquet is arranged along the street can up to more than 300 dining tables and as long as several hundred meters make it looks like a legendary Chinese dragon.so it is called chang-long-banquet. At the banquet, the moral and respectable elder men in the village sitting at the forepart of the line(the head of dragon) , women sitting at the end of the line(the tail of dragon), the others sitting at the middle of the line. All villagers drink home-made rice wine together and enjoy the delicacies that was elaborately cooked by housewives. This scene can be regarded as a competition about cooking also filled with the mildness of lives, and also presented the spirit of consolidation of Hani people. If you are happen to here this time, the hospitable Hani people will invite you sit together and share the happy life with them.
Every begging of December by solar calendar (about 10 October by lunar calendar) is their own spring festival- AngMaTu festival of Hani people who lived in Harbor（哈播）village Erzha（俄扎） Countryside Yuanyang(元阳) County Yunnan Province China..This festival is especially to Hani people to pray the God to bless their village and pray the dragon for rain(in ancient Chinese fairy tale, Chinese dragon is in charge of the rainfall submit to the order of God).At the first day of festival ,the village head will come to the center of the dragon forest where located in the village head to set the sacrificial altar, butcher the pure-colored leather pig and inviting the dragon respectfully to the festival. After that, the village head cut the pork into pieces in terms of the number of families in this village then distributed them to every family to share.
Long-street Banquet
On the second day of AngMaTu festival, every family need to prepare yellow polished glutinous rice, coloring eggs, pork, fish, duck, preserved beef, preserved Jizi meat(a special local product ),hammer beef, cooked peanuts etc, nearly 40 Hani flavor dishes, wine is prepared and carried to the given center of street and arranged in line, every family is responsible for 1-2 table, so all these dining tables come from the inhabitant are put in line along the street formed a more than 700 meters long banquet in the center of the street(which is called chang-long-banquet or The banquet in the center of street by local people),this is the longest banquet in China.
When the banquet is arranging, drums are beaten violently to celebrate and happiness can be seen everywhere, all the people in the village in their splendid attire ,lead their children and the old men were supported by the arm come from vicinity to join this activity. When the banquet is serving ,the host village head sitting the seat of honor ,the other people can sit together voluntary according to their gender ,age, interest etc. before the dishes put on the table, they must be carried to the front of village head and invite him to taste, accept his sincerely toast. The village head put part of the dishes from every table and piled them up, then distributed to the other place. This kind of mixed dish means all the villagers pray to the dragon with one heart and spend the festival happily together.
With the starting of long-street-banquet, the village head lead all the villagers lift their wineglass highly to pray a good weather to their crops in the future. Anyone who join the banquet should take the pork that had been cut into small sheets and placed in the middle of the table at first , to indicate the dragon has already in your heart, then have other dishes. If tourists meet the long-street-banquet by chance , people will give up his seat for you willing and ask you to join them. treat you warmly. Every year more than 4000 people join the long-street-banquet ,the hosts and the guests enjoy the delicacy, drinking a toast together full of joy. During the dining time, with the stimulation of alcohol, the old man would singing and dancing with accompany of various instruments. After the meal, young people make an engagement in the bamboo forest to enjoy their sweet time. When the banquet come to PM 5,the village head beat the drum, walked around the table and pass by the foot of dragon tree, other people will see him off palm to palm; which means send the dragon home .In the midnight, when the banquet is dismissed ,young people can carry on their romantic stories until tomorrow, Such activities would continue for three whole days.
AngMaTu festival, revealed Hani Ethnic Minority’s conception to water and their worship to dragon in their cultivate culture ,and also reflected Hani Ethnic Minority’s traditional virtue of industrious, .simple, help each other and so on.
Intangible Cultural Heritage
On 18 May 2018,the third series national None material cultural heritage category was published by Culture Department of China(newly included). “AngMaTu festival of Hani Ethnic Festival“ applied by Yuanyang county Yunnan Province is approved and listed in the category of intangible cultural heritage of national custom.
Keep Reading
Long Street Banquet, also known as Long Table Banquet(长街宴), is a time-honored culinary tradition prevailing among the Hani, Miao, Dong and Yi people. As an epitome of their food culture, etiquette, custom, singing and dancing, Long Street Banquet is usually held during festivals, grand occasions such as wedding ceremonies or newborn babies’ one-year-old birthday parties. Nowadays, as long as you join a group tour, you can experience this timeworn tradition all year around in the majority of Miao, Dong, Hani or Yi villages, which are mainly scattered in Southwest China, a treasure trove of minorities.
Long Street Banquet of Hani People
Over 1,600 Hani villagers in Habo Village(哈播村),Yuanyang County,Yunnan celebrate their new year in the 10th day of the 10th lunar month each year. Precluded with centuries-old rituals such as refurbishing their village gates and worship ancestors by presenting offerings in the first day, it culminates at Long Street Banquet in the second day and ends by singing and dancing in the third day.
In 2010, the Hani people living in Lvchun County(绿春县),Yunnan hosted the longest Long Street Banquet in the world. 3050 tables were laid end to end without a gap along the street like a long dragon. Stretching over 4,000m long, this dragon accommodated over 10,000 diners. Drumbeats, singing and dancing were used to bring out carnival atmosphere. The visual spectacle made of assorted delicacies and people in their festival bests, is simply breathtaking.
Underlying this mesmerizing event lays assorted settled rules. For instance, all of the table should be laid in the center of a square or the main street of a village, end to end without a gap, and aims to evoke the image of a dragon, a mythological auspicious animal in charge of timely rain and promises good harvest. The seating arrangement mirrors seniority, especially in the first table named “Dragon’s Head.” Just as the saying goes, birds of the same feather flock together, similar-minded Hani people of their own age, can choose the rest of the table at will.
Long Street Banquet involves infectious drum beats, eye-popping ethnic performances and dazzling fashion show. The food is diversified and delicious; the people are very hospitable, caring and entertaining. Just imagine sitting with gorgeously dressed Hani people, sharing their assorted dishes from forests and rivers, and listening to their beautiful singing, you will feel home in a foreign land.
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Chinese Name: 宁洱县哈尼族红蛋节
English Name: Red Eggs Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in NInger County, Puer
Location:宁洱县宁洱镇温泉村民委员会
http://yn.news.163.com/15/0325/10/ALI15U3D03230LLH.html
http://www.sohu.com/a/127752085_403470
Overview
- Chinese Name: 墨江县哈尼太阳节
- English Name: Sun Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in Mojiang County, Puer
- Location: Mojiang County, Puer
The Sun Festival, celebrated by the Hani ethnic minority in Mojiang County, Pu’er, is a vibrant and culturally significant event that showcases the unique traditions, customs, and beliefs of the Hani people. This festival is deeply rooted in the Hani’s agricultural lifestyle and their reverence for nature, particularly the sun, which plays a crucial role in their farming activities.
The Sun Festival not only serves to celebrate agricultural abundance and gratitude towards nature but also plays a significant role in preserving the cultural heritage of the Hani people. It offers visitors an opportunity to experience the rich tapestry of Hani traditions, fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation in the beautiful setting of Mojiang County.
Features of the Sun Festival:
- Celebration of the Sun: The festival is primarily dedicated to honoring the sun, which is viewed as a vital force that promotes growth and sustains life. The Hani people celebrate the sun’s return and its role in the planting and harvest cycles.
- Cultural Performances: Traditional music, dance, and dramatic performances are integral to the festivities. Participants often wear colorful traditional costumes, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Hani people. These performances depict legends, folktales, and the daily lives of the Hani community.
- Rituals and Offerings: Rituals may include offerings to the sun, where families present food, fruits, and other items to express gratitude and seek blessings for a fruitful harvest. These ceremonies often involve prayer and singing.
- Traditional Games and Sports: The festival features various traditional games and sports, promoting community bonding and friendly competition. These activities provide entertainment and a way for families to come together and celebrate.
- Culinary Delights: The Hani people take pride in their cuisine, and the festival is an opportunity to enjoy traditional dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. Visitors and participants often share food and beverages as part of the celebrations.
- Cultural Exhibitions: The Sun Festival may also include exhibitions that highlight Hani arts and crafts, such as weaving, pottery, and other traditional skills, allowing visitors to appreciate the craftsmanship and creativity of the Hani people.
- Community Involvement: The festival fosters a sense of community as Hani people from various villages come together to celebrate. It strengthens social ties and reinforces cultural identity among the younger generations.
Overview
Chinese Name: 澜沧县勐朗镇罗八村阿巴巴洛节
English Name: Ababaluo Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in Lancang County, Puer
Location: Luoba Village, Menglang Town, Lancang County/澜沧县勐朗镇罗八村
Date: March 7th
Time:
- 12:30-13:30: Relay Race
- 13:50-15:40: Tug-of-War
- 16:00-17:00: Ping Pong Ball Throwing Competition
- 19:30-22:00: Evening Gala
Venue: Longtan Wetland Park, Luoba Village, Menglang Town
Every year on March 7th, the Hani people of Luoba Village gather to celebrate the Ababalo Festival with joy and festivity. The festival is dedicated to honoring Hani women for their diligence, kindness, and wisdom. It signifies the community’s respect for women’s rights and contributions.
Village Profile
- Area: 32.6 square kilometers
- Population: As of the end of 2018, the village had 566 households with 2,122 residents. Among these, 311 households (1,167 people) were registered as living below the poverty line, with 207 households (704 people) yet to be lifted out of poverty.
- Ethnic Composition: Predominantly Hani, with Lahu and Han residents.
Festival Activities
- Sports Competitions: The festival includes three main sports events: relay races, tug-of-war, and a ping pong ball throwing competition. These activities are designed to encourage community participation, enhance teamwork, and foster a spirit of cooperation and interaction among villagers.
- Evening Gala: The evening event features performances by talented local young singers, celebrating the harvest and joy of the past year. This gathering aims to boost the morale and creativity of the villagers, promoting unity and determination to overcome poverty.
Significance
The Ababalo Festival not only celebrates the cultural heritage and contributions of Hani women but also serves as a crucial event in the village’s efforts to eradicate poverty. By fostering community spirit and encouraging active participation, the festival supports the broader goals of social and economic development in Luoba Village.
Join us on March 7th to celebrate the Ababalo Festival!
Overview
- Chinese Name: 澜沧县发展河乡哈尼族嘎汤帕节
- English Name: Gatangpa Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in Lancnag County, Puer
- Location: Liangzi Old Village, Heishan Village, Heyang Township, Lancang County/澜沧县发展河乡黑山村梁子老寨
The Gatangpa Festival is the main festival of the Hani ethnic group in Xishuangbanna. The term “Gatang” is associated with the Hani language, with some interpretations suggesting that it refers to an era or year designation, known as the “Gatang Era.” However, most people believe that “Gatangpa” signifies renewal or resurgence, marking the beginning of a new year. In July 1987, the Standing Committee of the Xishuangbanna People’s Congress officially designated the Gatangpa Festival as the New Year festival for the Hani people, in response to the shared wishes of the Hani communities.
Festival Traditions
Although the Gatangpa Festival is a long-standing traditional celebration for the Hani people, it previously lacked a unified date. Legends say that in ancient times, the Gatangpa Festival lasted for 15 days, primarily dedicated to ancestor worship and feasting. During this 15-day celebration, there were daily banquets, which were quite extravagant. With the 14th ancestor of the Hani people, Zun Tangpan, the festival duration was set to four days, commencing on the first day of the Ox in October and concluding on the day of the Dragon. The festival activities retained elements of ancestral rituals and feasting while incorporating entertainment activities.
As the festival approaches, people prepare by brewing rice wine, pounding glutinous rice cakes, slaughtering pigs and chickens, and making rice, sticky rice cakes, rice wine, meat dishes, and tea to offer at the ancestor altar, the Apeipoluo, for worship and prayer. Each household prepares a feast to invite relatives and friends, sharing drinks and exchanging gifts to strengthen social ties. Villages and neighborhoods set up swings and spinning tops for various contests and entertainments. Young men and women dress in new clothes, inviting each other to the mountains to pick wild fruits and flowers, sing to one another, and enjoy the festivities. Those who enjoy hunting often form groups to go mountain bird hunting or engage in group hunts.
Current Status of the Festival
In 1987, the Standing Committee of the State Congress designated the Gatangpa Festival as the annual celebration of the Hani people, unifying the festival dates to January 2 to 4 in the Gregorian calendar. The festival activities are organized collectively by the township government or village administration, focusing on cultural and sports events. During the festival, young men and women perform traditional bamboo tube dances, long bamboo pole dances, and various cultural programs showcasing Hani traditions. Competitions in swinging, spinning tops, and crossbow shooting are organized, along with spring outings where people sing together and enjoy recreational activities. Many past activities that had feudal superstitious elements have now been replaced by healthy and beneficial cultural and recreational activities.
Chinese Name:哈尼族打磨秋
English Name: Damoqiu Trapeze of Hani Ethnic Minority
Basic Introduction
- Chinese Name: 红河县哈尼族苦扎扎节/磨秋节/磨秋文化旅游节
- English Name: Kuzhazha Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in Honghe County, Honghe Prefecture
- Location: Gewu Village of Leyu Town in Honghe County, Honghe Prefecture
Kuzhazha Festival is held in Gewu Village of Leyu Town in Honghe County, Honghe Prefecture.
The Moqiu Festival of the Honghe Hani people, also known as “Kuzhazha,” is the Hani ethnic group’s traditional festival second only to the October Year Festival. It is a celebration combining the local realities of the Hani people, held after the completion of farming activities to celebrate the successful harvest, pray for peace and auspiciousness, and wish for an abundance of crops.
Festival Culture
Honghe County is located in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and is known as a “Hometown of Overseas Chinese.” It is a popular tourist destination in Yunnan, renowned for its spectacular Hani terraced fields, unique ethnic customs, and rich folk culture. The Moqiu Festival of the Honghe Hani people, also known as “Kuzhazha,” is the Hani ethnic group’s traditional festival second only to the October Year Festival. It is a time for the Hani people to celebrate the successful conclusion of farming activities, pray for peace and good fortune, and hope for an abundant harvest.
Festival Activities
During the festival, a grand welcoming event will take place in the ancient city of Mabang in Honghe County. Visitors can enjoy tasting Hani specialties at the long street banquet while watching traditional song and dance performances. They will also have the opportunity to participate in a lively bonfire party. At the renowned Samaba Terraced Fields scenic area, which is known as the “World’s First” rice terrace, visitors can take part in and watch the most distinctive grinding autumn competitions of the Hani people.
Festival Origin
Since Honghe County successfully hosted the first “Samaba Cup” bicycle race and Hani Moqiu Cultural Tourism Festival in 2013, this year marks the third edition of the event. It is reported that this year’s activities incorporate traditional Hani songs and dances, vividly showcasing the unique ethnic charm. The festival blends the magnificent natural scenery of Honghe, the traditional dietary culture of the Hani people, and their traditional celebrations to offer a memorable “May Day” journey for tourists and racers in Honghe.
Basic Introduction
- Chinese Name: 红河县哈尼族开秧门
- English Name: Kaiyangmen Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in Honghe County, Honghe Prefecture
- Location: 红河县阿扎河乡普春村委会切龙中寨/Qielong Central Village Committee, Puchun Village, Azhahe Township, Honghe County
“Kaiyangmen(开秧门)” is called “Kawopan(卡沃盘)” in the Hani language. Here, “Ka(卡)” means the five grains, “Wo(沃)” means door, and “pan(盘)” means open. This is a traditional and ancient ceremony for Hani villages to welcome the planting season. Before transplanting rice seedlings, the Hani people hold a grand “kaiyangmen(开秧门)” (Opening of the Seedling Door) ceremony in the fields, praying for a bountiful harvest in autumn.This festival embodies the Hani people’s rich traditions and their deep connection to agriculture, particularly rice farming, which is central to their livelihood.
The “Open Seedling Door” ceremony is presided over by a “pima(批玛)” (ritual master) and the Hani elders of the village. As the horn sounds, the Hani elders present steamed yellow glutinous rice and red eggs, and sacrifice a chicken to honor their ancestors and the gods of the land. The ritual master recites prayers to convey the agricultural intentions to the Hani ancestors and the gods of the land, praying for favorable weather, abundant crops, and prosperous livestock. The activities include driving oxen to plow the fields, pulling seedlings, and planting rice seedlings, symbolizing the sowing of happiness and good fortune. Additionally, there are activities like catching fish and collecting eggs, allowing people to personally experience the interesting folk culture of the Hani people.
Key Features of the Kaiyangmen Festival:
- Timing: The festival is typically held before the rice planting season, signaling the important agricultural work that lies ahead. It serves as both a ceremonial and practical preparation for the upcoming farming activities.
- Rituals and Ceremonies: The festivities are presided over by a ritual master known as “批玛” and the village elders. The ceremony includes offerings, such as steamed glutinous rice and red eggs, and a chicken sacrifice, performed to honor ancestors and the gods of the land. These rituals are intended to seek blessings for good weather, a bountiful harvest, and thriving livestock.
- Symbolic Activities: During the festival, various agricultural activities take place that symbolize prosperity and happiness. These may include driving oxen to plow the fields, pulling and planting rice seedlings, and other farming-related tasks. Each of these activities is infused with cultural significance, portraying the Hani people’s relationship with nature and agriculture.
- Cultural Engagement: The festival offers an opportunity for both locals and visitors to engage with Hani culture, featuring traditional music, dance, and games. Activities such as fishing and egg gathering allow participants to immerse themselves in the vibrant local customs.
- Community Importance: The Kaiyangmen Festival is essential for community bonding, reinforcing social ties among villagers. It serves as a time for communal gathering, shared hopes, and collective prayers for agricultural success.
Chinese Name: 红河县哈尼族长街宴/十月年/美首扎勒特/米索扎
English Name: Long Street Banquet of Hani Ethnic Minority and Shiyuenian Festival in Honghe County, Honghe Prefecture
Location:红河县甲寅、宝华、乐育三个乡镇
Origin of the Festival
The Long Street Feast is a traditional custom of the Hani people, celebrated during the October New Year. According to the Hani calendar, this festival marks the beginning of the New Year, equivalent to the Han Chinese Spring Festival. Known as “Gantan Tongtong” or “Zelasheshi,” this grand festival involves opening the “New Year doors” on the fifth day, symbolizing the transition from old to new. Families prepare an array of dishes from their yearly harvest, creating a long feast at the village gate that allows the entire community and visiting guests to partake.
Highlights of the Festival
the Long Street Banquet
Community Feast:
- The Long Street Banquet is known for its extensive layout, with tables set up along the streets for hundreds of meters, accommodating thousands of participants. It fosters camaraderie among community members and guests, emphasizing the spirit of sharing.
Traditional Cuisine:
- The banquet features a diverse array of traditional Hani dishes, often numbering around 40 varieties. Specialties may include glutinous rice, three-colored eggs, pork, chicken, fish, and various local delicacies. The food reflects the agricultural bounty of the region and is prepared with love and tradition.
Rituals and Blessings:
- The banquet is often accompanied by rituals meant to bless the community. Participants offer prayers for a good harvest, health, and prosperity while sharing food and drink together.
Cultural Performances:
- The event is enriched with cultural performances, including traditional music, dance, and singing. Hani dress and traditional instruments are prominently featured, bringing an authentic cultural vibe to the festivities.
Social Gathering:
- The Long Street Banquet serves as a major social event, where friends, families, and visitors come together to celebrate, network, and enjoy each other’s company. It’s an opportunity for reconnection within the community.
Guest Participation:
- The banquet welcomes visitors from various regions, creating a platform for cultural exchange. Local hosts often invite tourists to join in the feast, displaying the Hani people’s warmth and hospitality.
The Shiyuenian (October Year) Festival
Harvest Celebration:
- The Shiyuenian Festival marks the end of the harvest season and is a time for the Hani people to express gratitude for the year’s bounty. It is similar to a New Year celebration, incorporating elements of thanksgiving and hope for the future.
Traditional Ceremonies:
- The festival includes various traditional ceremonies, including rituals to honor ancestors and nature spirits. The community gathers to pray for blessings, good weather, and fruitful harvests for the next year.
Cultural Heritage Events:
- Various events and activities highlight Hani cultural heritage, such as folk songs, dances, and storytelling that convey the history and traditions of the Hani people.
Colorful Festivities:
- Participants wear traditional Hani clothing, adorned with bright colors and intricate patterns, adding to the visual spectacle of the festival. Parades and processions showcase this vibrant attire.
Family and Community Bonding:
- The festival is an occasion for families to come together, celebrate their achievements, and strengthen community bonds. It promotes social cohesion through shared experiences.
Nature Connection:
- The Hani people’s deep respect for nature is reflected in the festival’s themes, celebrating the land and its resources while teaching younger generations about ecological conservation.
Festival Customs
The “Angma Tu” Festival, held in early December (approximately the 10th day of the lunar October), is the largest and most significant festival for the agricultural Hani people. This three-day event involves worshipping the village guardian, “Angma,” and praying for rain and prosperity. On the first day, a ceremony and sealing ritual are held to welcome the guardian into the village. The second day features the Long Street Feast, a lavish banquet stretching over 700 meters (also called the Long Dragon Feast or Central Street Feast), where men, women, and children celebrate in traditional attire. The final day includes continued celebrations with music, dancing, and a focus on unity and gratitude.
Festival Process
During the Long Street Feast, villagers gather at long tables set up along the street, creating a festive and lively atmosphere with gongs and drums. The dragon leader presides over the event, tasting dishes from each household before mixing them together, symbolizing village unity. Participants start the feast by picking dragon pig meat from the center of the table, representing the dragon entering their hearts. Visitors are warmly welcomed, and the feast includes food, drink, and mutual blessings. The festival features traditional music and dance, enhancing the joyous and communal spirit.
Annual Activities
The Long Street Feast reflects the Hani people’s traditional unity and cultural richness. Since 2004, the festival has been recognized by Guinness World Records as “the longest banquet in the world,” with the 2010 event setting a new record with 3,050 tables stretching over 4,000 meters and over 10,000 participants. Notably, on November 2, 2008, the feast was celebrated in downtown Lincang County with provincial leaders and guests, despite the rain, showcasing the festive spirit. On November 13, 2015, the “Zhalete” festival saw thousands of Hani people creating a kilometer-long street banquet, further highlighting the festival’s grandeur and cultural significance.
Summary
The Long Street Feast is a vibrant celebration of Hani culture, blending traditional cuisine, rituals, and community spirit. It highlights the Hani people’s dedication to their heritage, showcasing their unique customs and fostering a sense of unity and joy among participants and visitors alike.
Overview
- Chinese Name: 金平县哈尼族昂玛突节
- English Name: AngMaTu (Dragon Worship) Festival of Hani Ethnic Minority in Jinping County, Honghe
- Location: Dalaotang Village of Jinhe Town in Jinping County, Honghe
AngMaTu (Dragon Worship) Festival in Jinping County is held in Dalaotang Village of Jinhe Town.
The Hani Ethnic Group’s Angma Tu Festival is the grandest festival of the Hani people, held annually before the spring plowing begins (usually in mid-January). It is a sacrificial event that prays for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and the safety of people and livestock in the coming year. With the progression of time, this activity has evolved into the most significant festival of the Hani people.
Angma Tu Festival
The “Angma Tu” festival is generally held for 3 to 5 days. During the event, the passionate and lively Hani people, young and old, gather in circles to joyfully dance and sing about their beautiful lives. There can be more than 300 tables set up for street banquets, stretching for hundreds of meters, which is why it’s also called the Long Dragon Banquet. At the banquet, the village’s respected elderly men sit at the front, while women sit at the back, and the rest of the people sit in the middle. The entire village drinks homemade rice wine and enjoys dishes carefully prepared by each household. The atmosphere is not only a competition in culinary skills, full of warmth and community spirit, but it also showcases the unity of the Hani people. If you happen to be here during this time, the hospitable Hani people will warmly invite you to sit and share in their wonderful life together.
Every year, on the 1st day of the 12th lunar month (around October 10 in the Gregorian calendar), is the Spring Festival for the Haniz ethnic group in Habao Village, Ezhai Township, Yuanyang County—known as the Angma Tu Festival. This festival is a time for the Hani people to worship the village god and pray to the dragon for rain. On the eve of the festival, the village head sets up an altar in the central Dragon Forest at the entrance of the village, where a dragon pig without mixed colors is slaughtered to invite the dragon to celebrate with everyone. After the prayers, the head of the village cuts the dragon pig meat into as many pieces as there are households in the village and distributes it for everyone to enjoy.
Long Street Banquet
The Long Street Ancient Banquet, as a tradition of the Hani “October Year,” is a feast of blessings. Thus, people of different skin colors and from different countries come with good wishes, like pilgrims, to participate in the annual Long Street Ancient Banquet, enjoying the “blessed” foods that symbolize health and longevity. People request a sip of holy water from the “divine seat” of Migu, holding chopsticks in hand, and they eat from the ‘dragon head’ to the ‘dragon tail’ along the street, wishing one another good fortune, prosperity, peace, and happiness.
On the second day of the Angma Tu Festival, every family prepares nearly 40 varieties of traditional Hani dishes, including yellow glutinous rice, three-color eggs, pork, chicken, fish, duck meat, beef jerky, goat jerky, shredded meat, and peanuts, along with wine, and sets up their tables in the designated street area—each family having one or two tables. The tables line up along the street, creating a banquet that stretches over 700 meters, known locally as the Long Dragon Banquet or Street Center Feast, which is the longest banquet in China.
During the banquet setting, the sound of gongs and drums fills the air, creating a lively atmosphere. Men, women, and children dress in festive attire, bringing their daughters and helping the elderly, gathering from all directions to take their seats. When entering, the host (the village head) sits in the main seat, while others voluntarily arrange themselves around the long table based on gender, age, and interests. When dishes from each household are brought to the table, they are first presented to the village head for tasting, accepting his genuine toast. The village head takes portions from each dish and mixes them together before distributing them to others; this mixed dish symbolizes the unity of the village in worshiping the gods and welcoming the dragon together for the festival.
As the Long Street Banquet begins, the village head leads everyone in raising their glasses in a toast for favorable weather in the coming year. All participants take their first bite of the dragon pig meat cut into small pieces by each household sitting at the central table, indicating that the dragon has entered their hearts, after which they eat other dishes. If tourists happen to encounter the Long Street Banquet, people will readily give up their seats and welcome you to join. Each year, around 4,000 people participate in the Long Street Banquet, with hosts and guests dining, drinking, and exchanging blessings joyfully. During the banquet, elders take advantage of the joyful atmosphere to pull out various musical instruments to sing and dance. After eating and drinking, young men and women may venture into the bamboo forest to express love and affection. The festivities last until 5 PM, when the village head beats the drum, parading under the dragon tree, as everyone claps their hands to send the dragon home. At night, as the banquet winds down, young men and women sing and dance, engaging in romance, continuing throughout the night. Such activities occur for three days and nights.
The Angma Tu Festival reveals the Hani people’s understanding of water and their worship of the dragon within their agricultural culture, while also reflecting the hardworking, simple, and mutually supportive traditional virtues of the Hani people.
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