Donglan celebrates Song Festival

On March 12, the first Song Festival celebration was held in Tunzhang village, Simeng township, Donglan county. The festival showcased intangible cultural heritage and promoted Simeng's picturesque rural scenery.

The Song Festival originates from the Zhuang ethnic group and is also known as the Gexu Festival or the Gepo Festival. On this day, the Zhuang people organize to meet at a specific location so that they can sing songs together and celebrate.

Local people from the Zhuang, Han, and Yao ethnic groups dressed up in their traditional festive costumes, played bronze drums, and sang songs. In doing so, they shared their cultural heritage with visitors from all over the world.

The festival attracted a large crowd of people, who enjoyed traditional dance performances, admired the ethnic costumes, took photos of the beautiful flowers, and indulged in delicious food.

"I am a teacher who came from Shenzhen, Guangdong province to teach at Donglan Vocational School. Participating in such an event makes me feel excited. Wearing traditional Zhuang clothing for the first time makes me feel very fashionable," said Wen Liangyong.

The Song Festival brought good business opportunities for local vendors. "Today, I have been so busy cooking, that I do not even have the time to go to the event," said Huang Yingxiong, the owner of a fast food restaurant.

Yang Feng, the Party secretary of Simeng township, introduced that the Song Festival was organized to utilize Simeng's advantages as a core demonstration area for oilseed rape cultivation. The festival is a driving force in promoting intangible cultural heritage, accelerating rural vitalization, and promoting culture and tourism integration.

The Song Festival in Simeng township, Donglan, attracts many visitors. [Photo/Hechi Daily]