National Culture Heritages in Guangxi (Festivals)

The Mulam Yifan Cultural Festival in Luocheng

The Mulam Yifan Cultural Festival is held at the ethnic cultural square of Luocheng Mulam autonomous county in November every three years. Mulam bamboo balls, grass and dragon dances, grabbing zongba, as well as cat and lion dances are exhibited as Mulam ethnic cultural performances. Other activities include a shuttlecock competition, iron hooping, and xiuqiu throwing, a game that uses a special ball made of strips of silk, which were used for choosing husbands in ancient China. Organized by villages or clans, the festival is a major event for people of the Mulam ethnic group to celebrate good harvests, show gratitude, and pray for blessings. The Mulam Yifan Cultural Festival was listed in the first collection of intangible cultural heritages under national protection in 2006.

Sanyuesan Festival

Sanyuesan, which refers to the 3rd day of the 3rd month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, is a traditional festival for many ethnic groups across China.

People in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region usually celebrate it with various activities including embroidered balls throwing, antiphonal singing, sparkler-grabbing, bamboo pole dancing, and lusheng performances.

On Nov 11, 2014, the Sanyuesan Festival was included in the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage expansion projects.

The Ha Festival of Jing Ethnic Group

The Ha Festival is the most important festival of the Jing people. The special culture behind the Ha Festival is mainly distributed in the three islands of Jiangping town, Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region: Wutou, Shanxin, and Wanwei, which are the main settlements of the Jing people.

The date of the Ha Festival varies from place to place, and Ha Pavilion, a building dedicated to Ha Festival activities, is built everywhere. The activities of the Ha Festival consist of making sacrifices to sea gods, ancestor worship, drinking, socializing, and entertainment.

On May 20, 2006, the Ha Festival of the Jing Ethnic Group was approved by the State Council and listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages.

Jing People perform during the Ha Festival. [Photo/gxfybhw.cn]