Sanyuesan, the third day of the third lunar month, is a festival for many ethnic groups in China. People celebrate the traditional festival by holding galas and temple fairs and going out for spring outings. Sanyuesan falls on April 18 this year.
1. Buyi and Zhuang ethnic groups (布依族歌仙节和壮族“歌圩节”)
People of Buyi ethnic group perform a dance to celebrate the Sanyuesan Festival in Wangmo county, Southwest China's Guizhou province.
The grandest traditional festival of the year for Buyis and Zhuangs is the "Third Day of Third Month," when the groups hold various activities such as colorful rice dyeing, cloth weaving, antiphonal singing, water splashing, bamboo raft racing, God worship, water worship, bamboo pole dancing, bonfire evening galas and folk performances, as well as large-scale performances.
five-colored sticky rice
throw embroidered balls
People perform a bamboo dance to celebrate the Sanyuesan Festival in Huangyao town in Hezhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
The singing festival is a traditional occasion which was held to visit graves of the ancestors before 1940. Now it has become a grand occasion using songs to express their emotions. On that day, after offering sacrifices to Sanjie Liu (a Zhuang minority girl good at singing), they will sing to challenge each other not only in song but also wit. Lyrics are usually improvisational and humorous and make everyone burst into laughter.
bull fighting
It is also a perfect day for young men to express their love to their girlfriends through singing, so it is reputed as the Valentine's Day of the Zhuang ethnic minority.
2. Dong ethnic group: onion-asking festival (报京侗族讨葱节)
Baojing Dong Village, built 300 years ago, is the biggest Dong village in Qiandongnan Miao and the Dong autonomous prefecture of Guizhou.
The ethnic Dong people hold their Onion-Asking Festival on the 3rd day of the third month of the lunar calendar. The local Dong people believes that the date can bring them good luck and happiness.
The Onion-Asking Festival is a romantic time for young people, who sing folk songs and have lunch on long tables and hold a traditional courtship activity called "onion-asking," where the young men ask for spring onions from the girls they like. If the girl agrees to offer spring onions, it is highly symbolic, as it means an agreement similar to engagement in Western cultures.
3. She ethnic group: dark glutinous rice festival (畲族“乌饭节”)
With a population of 709,592, the She people live primarily in the mountainous areas of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, and to a lesser extent in Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Anhui. They refer to themselves as "Shanha," where "shan" means mountain and "ha" means customers - "customers of the mountain."
Apart from dancing and singing, She ethnic people place the dark glutinous rice on a long table and enjoy it together on Sanyuesan, similar celebrations are held at other places.
4. Yao ethnic group (瑶族“开耕节”)
People of Yao ethnic group make Yao costumes to celebrate the Sanyuesan Festival in Huangluo Yao village of Longji township, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
For the Yao ethnic group, Sanyuesan is a festival of group hunting and fishing. On that day, the captured wild animals and fish are distributed to each household to share the joy of harvesting. All people gather in the square, singing and dancing.
Girls of Yao ethnic group show their long hair to celebrate the Sanyuesan Festival in Huangluo Yao village of Longji township, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
In addition to traditional celebrations, some girls of Yao ethnic group show their long hair, some women make Yao costumes in Huangluo Yao village of Longji township, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
5. North Emperor's Birthday Temple Fair
Sanyuesan is the birthday of the Zhenwu Emperor (also called North Emperor) of Taoism. This year, North Emperor's Birthday Temple Fair at Xujiang Temple，Foshan city, will be held from April 18 to 22. It is part of the activities of the "2018 Foshan Village Tour in Lingnan Area."
Foshan will combine together temple culture, folk culture, longevity culture, and gourmet culture to create a unique celebration for the temple.
Temple culture
Rich temple culture will be presented to participants through activities such as the North Emperor worshiping ceremony, North Emperor parade, North Emperor's return to the palace, and lion dancing.
Folk culture
Artistic activities including sand painting show, thousand-people Tai Chi performance, Cantonese opera, pop music, tea art will also be staged.
Longevity culture
The organizer will hold a longevity vegetarian feast and invite 1,000 elderly people over 70 from around the Pearl River Delta area to promote the longevity and filial piety in Foshan. In addition, a photography competition will be held to select the most beautiful temple fair pictures and the best photos of the "longevity village."
Gourmet culture
Participants can taste a wide range of Asian food during the temple fair. On a special Gourmet Street, 60 food booths will offer snacks from all over the country.
In addition to Xujiang Temple in Foshan city, the activity of celebrating the North Emperor's Birthday will also be held in the Foshan Chancheng Ancestral Temple and in Guangzhou Shawan ancient town.
Source: WECHAT(SilkRoadPost)
