Traditional festivals of ethnic minorities include Nadam of Mongolia, Water-splashing Festival of Dai nationality, Knife and Pole Festival of Lisu nationality, Torch Festival of Yi nationality, March Street of Bai nationality, Zallet of Hani nationality, butter sculpture Lantern Festival of Tibetan nationality, Longevity Song of Jingpo nationality, Moon Festival of Lahu nationality and Huashan Festival of Miao nationality.

1. The Mongolian Nadam

Mongolian means "game" or "entertainment". Originally refers to the Mongolian traditional "three men's competitions"-wrestling, horse racing and archery. With the development of the times, it has gradually evolved into today's grand celebration activities and material exchange activities including various cultural and entertainment contents. Nadam in history is not limited by time, and it is usually held on occasions such as offering sacrifices to mountains and rivers, military expeditions, triumphs, emperors' accession to the throne, the first month and large-scale celebrations.

Today's Nadam is held at the turn of summer and autumn every year. Generally, the scale depends on the production situation of animal husbandry in that year, with a small harvest and a big harvest. In addition to the traditional "Men's Three Competitions", there are also cultural performances, track and field competitions and various economic and cultural exhibitions, as well as order negotiation and material exchange.

Nadam, which lasts for five days from the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, is a grand gathering of Mongolian people. The contents of the Nadam Convention mainly include traditional national events such as wrestling, horse racing, archery, horse riding and playing Mongolian chess. In some places, there are also sports such as track and field, tug-of-war and basketball.

On May 2th, 26, Nadam was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.

2. Water-splashing Festival of the Dai people

Water-splashing Festival, also known as "Bathing Buddha Festival" and "Lenghe Shanghan", is a traditional festival of the Dai people, Achang people, Bulang people, Wa people, De 'ang people, Thai people and Southeast Asia.

On that day, people in Xishuangbanna, China, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and other countries, as well as overseas Thai settlements such as Kowloon City and Zhonghe District, New Taipei City, Taiwan Province, got up early in the morning and bathed in Buddha rituals, and then began to celebrate for several days. During the period, everyone splashed each other with pure water, praying to wash away the troubles of the past year. Songkran Festival is the New Year of the Dai people, which is equivalent to the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar and generally lasts for 3 to 7 days.

The Water-Splashing Festival is a comprehensive stage to show the traditional culture of the Dai people, such as water culture, music and dance culture, food culture, costume culture and folk worship, and it is an important window to study the history of the Dai people, with high academic value. The artistic performances such as Zhangha and White Elephant Dance displayed in the Songkran Festival are helpful to understand the national characteristics of Dai people's understanding of nature, love the water's respect for Buddha, gentleness and calmness.

At the same time, the Songkran Festival is also an important link to strengthen the great unity of the people of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, which has played a positive role in friendly cooperation and exchanges between Xishuangbanna and Southeast Asian countries and promoting the social, economic and cultural development of Xishuangbanna.

On May 2th, 26, this folk custom was approved by the State Council and included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list in China.

3. Tibetan butter sculpture Lantern Festival

The butter sculpture Lantern Festival, which is called "beautiful but outstanding" in Tibetan, will also be held by temples to dance and dance. Wearing embroidered robes and masks, the dancers danced and sang with the accompaniment of Tibetan horns, suona, cowhide drums and gongs and drums to show their celebration.

Every year, on the 15th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, in order to celebrate the victory of the debate between Sakyamuni and other sects, oil sculpture art exhibitions are held in major monasteries in Tibetan areas, that is, images of immortals, figures, flowers, trees, birds and animals made of colored ghee are lit with butter lamps for blessing. Tibetans call it "ganden Angqu", a traditional religious festival.

4. Moon Festival of Lahu nationality

Moon Festival is a Lahu farming festival, also called "Haba Festival". The Lahu pronunciation "Haba", which means the moon, was held on August 15th in the Lahu calendar, originally to offer sacrifices to the moon and celebrate the harvest.

Sacrifice ceremonies are held at night when the moon rises. Each family chooses the best melons and fruits as sacrifices, and carries them to the place where the mountain gods are sacrificed (behind the stockade) to offer sacrifices to the people to distribute the moon for farming festivals. In the moonlight, all the men, women and children in the village danced lusheng dance around the bamboo table to celebrate the festival.

In places where Hinayana Buddhism is believed, the content of Buddha worship was added to the moon, and the place was changed to a house in the village. The Buddha hung a white cloth with a moon pattern on it, and Buddhist utensils such as a altar, incense burner and wax table were set under the white cloth. Before dark, people brought fresh cucumbers, plantains, pineapples and other offerings to the Buddha, lit incense and candles, burned paper money, and the Buddha recited scriptures and prayed.

after the Buddha's pilgrimage, he went to the village for activities. Old people gather to drink and bake tea; Young people gather in the concert hall to dance Lusheng and sing traditional songs. Those who can sing the historical origin of their own nation will be awarded the title of singer.

5. Huashan Festival of Miao nationality

Huashan Festival, also known as "jumping on the field", "jumping on flowers", "playing with flowers" or "stepping on flowers", is a traditional festival of Miao nationality in northeastern Yunnan, southern Yunnan and southern Sichuan, which originates from courtship activities of young men and women and is held in early May every year.

Xingwen County in Sichuan is adjacent to Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, where Miao compatriots are concentrated. People come across provinces to participate, and the number often reaches tens of thousands. The scale is grand and the people are jubilant. The Huashan Festival held in Pingbian Miao Autonomous County is also very large, and Miao compatriots from Wenshan, Maguan, Hekou and Mengzi all rushed to participate.

Extended information

The Xuedun Festival is a traditional Tibetan festival, which originated in the middle of the 11th century. The Tibetan calendar is held on July 1st every year for four or five days. Xuedun is transliterated in Tibetan, which means "yogurt feast", so Xuedun Festival is interpreted as a festival to drink yogurt. Later, it gradually evolved into a Tibetan opera festival, also known as the Tibetan Opera Festival.

At that time, residents near Lhasa will wear bright holiday costumes, help the old and bring up the young, talk while drinking, sing and dance, watch Tibetan operas and enjoy the joy of the festival. In the afternoon, families began to string curtains as guests. The host made a toast to the guests, "Songzhun Nieta", and sang various songs to persuade them to drink. After the song, the guests will drink three mouthfuls of wine. Toast, blessing and laughter last for a long time. When the sunset glow dyed the sky red, people left Norbulingka in the dusk.

According to Buddhist regulations, monks are forbidden to go out for a period of time. In summer, when the Tibetan calendar expires at the end of June, monks leave the temple and go down the mountain, and the secular people give alms with yogurt. It was purely a religious activity.

In the mid-17th century, after the Qing Dynasty officially conferred the 5th Dalai Lama and the 4th Panchen Lama, famous Tibetan opera groups from all over Tibet gathered in Lhasa to add to the fun of the Snowton Festival, which evolved into an important festival focusing on Tibetan opera performances and combining religious and recreational activities, so it was also called the "Tibetan Opera Festival". Because its scope was limited inside and outside temples and centered on drepung monastery, it was called the "Zhebang Snowton Festival".

In the early 18th century, the center of the Snowdon Festival was moved from drepung monastery to Norbulingka, allowing citizens to enter the park to watch Tibetan operas. After the democratic reform in Tibet, the Snowdon Festival became the people's own festival. During the festival, there are activities such as sunbathing Buddha with zhe mussels, Tibetan opera performances and visiting linka.

Every year on June 3th in the Tibetan calendar, a grand "Buddha Exhibition" is held in drepung monastery, a western suburb of Lhasa, which gives more believers the opportunity to worship the Buddha. The local government does not interfere in such Buddhist activities. During the festival, there are a sea of people in Norbulingka, and tents and mats are everywhere among the trees. Tibetans gather here to drink highland barley wine, butter tea, eat yogurt, watch Tibetan operas and enjoy various cultural programs.

In p>1993, the Lhasa Municipal People's Government decided to hold the Lhasa Xuedun Festival once a year and hold the Lhasa Xuedun Festival materials fair at the same time. On August 16th, 1993, the first "Snow Fair" opened. Nowadays, the Snowdon Festival has developed into a comprehensive festival event integrating cultural performances, economic and trade negotiations, investment attraction, material exchange, product exhibition, sports competition, tourism and leisure.

In 24, the Lhasa Municipal People's Government decided that in order to solve the problem that the traditional Snowton Festival is based on the Tibetan calendar, and the Gregorian calendar dates are different every year, which causes inconvenience to domestic and foreign tourists, from 24 onwards, except for the Buddha exhibition in drepung monastery, which is still held according to the traditional Tibetan calendar on June 3th, the Snowton Festival sponsored by the municipal government is fixed to open on August 18th every year.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-ethnic festivals, China.