Huanjiang hosts Fenlong Festival celebration

The Maonan Fenlong Festival celebration was held in Xia'nan town, Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Hechi city - the original home of the Maonan ethnic group - on June 25.

Fenlong Festival is held every year after summer solstice, and it is an ancient and important festival during which Maonan people pray for a good harvest. Generally, the festival lasts between three and five days.

A prayer ceremony - named "Feitao" in the Maonan language - was held as the opening of the festival. "Feitao" is representative of the ancient Maonan culture, and it was included in the first national intangible cultural heritage list in May 2006.

The event also included a folk "dragon dance", which involves praying for favorable weather and a good harvest, and reflects the Maonan people's yearning for a happy life. It also presented traditional Maonan song and dance performances, sports competitions and chess competitions.

Maonan people present the dragon dance at the Fenlong Festival ceremony. [Photo/Hechi Daily]

At the event site, various interesting craft activities such as bamboo hat weaving and Nuo mask-carving were on display. There was a special Maonan food street for visitors to taste the delicious Maonan delicacies. Visitors could come to understand traditional Maonan culture through activities such as tug-of-war competitions, fishing in fish ponds and chicken-catching in the countryside.

Maonan people show off some traditional Maonan food at the Fenlong Festival ceremony. [Photo/Hechi Daily]