FESTIVALS!!!

Due to the wide range of minorities in Kunming, it has become a place that gathers many attractive traditional festivals worth admiring.

TORCH FESTIVAL

The Yi people in Shilin normally celebrate this where they would bring together the entire torch they collected and burn it into a tower, then gather together to sing and dance around the torch tower. This is the grandest festival of the Yi ethnic minority.

HUNTING GOD FESTIVAL

Lieshen (Hunting God) festival of Yi ethnic group is held at Jiuxiang during the 1st to 3rd day of lunar January. Antiphonal singing, bullfight, dance and many other folk activities will be conducted.

SAN YUE SAN

It is a festival for Kunming people to have spring outing for a walk and feast their eye on flowers. Different activities are held in gardens and scenic areas. It was especially busy in the West Hill and Gold Temple.

Below are a few minorities festivals

Munao Zongge Festival of Jingpo

Time: Late Feburary

Activities: tasting Jingpo rice wine, Munao Zongge dances

Sanduo Festival of Naxi


Time: Late Feburary


Activities: sacrificial activities to worship Sanduo (reportedly the god of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain), Naxi ancient music show, folk songs

Water-Splashing Festival of Dai

Time: mid-April

Activities: New Year of Dao ethnic group, splashing water to each other showing best wishes and many other celebrations

Shankang Festival of Blang

Time: 16th to 19th day of April

Activities: making sacrifice to the God of Mountain for good harvest, folk song and dance performances, eating the reunion dinner

Dengba Festival of Tibetan

Time: 5th to 6th of May

Activities: Tibetan Guozhuang Dance

Kuzhazha Festival of Hani

Time: Early August

Activities: riding a seesaw, pushing a swing, folk dances and songs

Xinmi Festival of Wa

Time: mid-October

Activities: beating the wooden drums, slaughtering cattle, folk performances, hosting a reunion of all Wa people