Torch Festival is an ancient traditional festival of Yi, Bai, Naxi, Jinuo, Lahu and other ethnic groups, which has profound folk culture connotation and is called "Oriental Carnival".

different ethnic groups hold torch festivals at different times. The main activities are bullfighting, sheep fighting, cockfighting, horse racing, wrestling, song and dance performances, beauty contests and so on. In the new era, Torch Festival has been endowed with new folk functions and produced new forms.

the yi, Naxi and Jinuo nationalities are held on June 24th, June 25th, and the Lahu nationality is held on June 2th. The festival lasts for two or three days. The Yi people believe that the ears of grain to grow after the Torch Festival are as thick as torches.

Later generations used this as a sacrifice to drive away ghosts and evil spirits in their homes, so as to keep people and animals safe. Nowadays, people also use the opportunity of gathering to socialize or meet lovers, and carry out business activities on festivals.

Extended information:

The legends about Torch Festival of various ethnic groups in Yunnan have their own characteristics. The legend of the Torch Festival of the Yi people is actually the sublation of the original cultural form by the new cultural form after the nomadism changed to farming.

This legend retains the original information of the origin of the Torch Festival to the greatest extent, and it is also a legend closest to the origin of the Torch Festival. The proverbs of Naxi people about the legend of Torch Festival keep important information about the origin of Torch Festival, which provides important clues to explore the origin of Torch Festival with the records in Tunxi County Records.

The legends about the Torch Festival in Dali and Kunming hide the origin of the Torch Festival, but their "Star Festival" also reveals the source of the Torch Festival and its profound culture.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Torch Festival