The Miao ethnic group in Kaili, Guizhou, known as the "hometown of hundreds of festivals", has festivals every month and gatherings every quarter. The larger ones include the Miao Year Festival, the New Eating Festival, the Naochong Festival, the Climbing Festival, and the Guzang Festival. In these festivals, activities such as reed pipe dancing, bronze drum dancing, bullfighting, horse racing, singing, and bird fighting are mostly carried out.

Celebrating the Miao Year

It varies from region to region. In the Guading area, in the first and middle of October of the lunar calendar, pigs are killed on the Yin day, cakes are made on the Mao day, and chickens and ducks are killed. Watch midnight at night, worship ancestors in the early morning of the day, sacrifice cattle, farm tools, and set off firecrackers to welcome the New Year. In the early morning, worship the mountain god and the water god. Pick up your married daughter at noon. It also includes various gatherings, such as Lusheng dancing, bronze drum playing, bullfighting and other activities, which generally last 9 days. In the Kaitang area, on the evening of the next day of December 16th, the married daughter was picked up the next day and returned home to visit her parents-in-law.

Eating New Festival

Guading area falls on the first or second day of June in the lunar calendar, Kaitang area falls on the first day after June 16th, Diwu, Wengxiang, Panghai and Pingle are in mid-July and Mao day. Some in July and a half. During the festival, 3 to 5 days of rallies are held, including parades, Lusheng dancing, bullfighting, horse racing, etc. The "New Eating Festival" is the grandest and most solemn festival of the Miao people at the turn of spring and summer. It evolved from ancient sacrifices. The festival time varies from place to place, usually from early June to mid-August in the lunar calendar. On the festival day, the invited guests wear festive costumes, pick up gifts, and lead bullfights to visit. After offering sacrifices to their ancestors, the guests and hosts frequently toasted to wish for a good harvest. On the second day, activities such as bullfighting, horse racing, and Lusheng dancing were carried out. As night falls, the sound of old people drinking and singing floats out of the house, and the reed playing field is filled with youthful laughter and joyful melodies. The sound of reed playing, drinking singing, love songs, and flying songs fills the night sky in Miao Village.

Naochong Festival

It is held on the second day of the second lunar month and at noon at the foot of Yatang Jinghui Mountain. There are many people attending the gathering, and the activities include bullfighting, antiphonal singing, Lusheng dancing, etc.

Hill Climbing Festival

The festival is held on the second day of the third lunar month and on the noon day of the third month of the lunar calendar, respectively on Kaihuaihu Daming Slope and Gechongbie Duoshan Slope. At the end of the sixth lunar month, the Xianglu Mountain Climbing Festival is even more lively. Climb high and call, and everyone will respond.

Youfang Festival

"Youfang", also known as "Youfang", is a form of socialization and entertainment for young Miao men and women in Kaili City. Miao boys and girls often make friends, find partners or express love through such activities. In order to choose a satisfactory lifelong partner, some young men often have to climb mountains and wade to villages that are more than ten, dozens or even hundreds of miles away.

Tours usually take place during the off-farm season (such as from the end of autumn harvest to before transplanting rice seedlings in the second year) and traditional festivals (such as Miao Year, New Eating Festival, Lusheng Festival, Bullfighting Festival, and Climbing Festival). , Drum-turning Festival, Spring Festival, Antiphonal Song Festival, etc.) and festival days. In Miao village tours, there are usually fixed "youfangchang", "youfangpo" or "youfangpeng". These places are either under the trees near the bridge in front or behind the village, or on the gentle grassy slopes around the village.

In order to participate in the tour, the girls dressed up in costumes, wore silver jewelry on their heads, put a few flowers on their heads, wore silver collars around their necks, and silver bracelets on their hands. They use this to show their wealth and talents, and their beautiful appearance and figure to attract the admiration of young men.

Sisters' Festival

"Sisters' Festival", also known as "Eating Sisters' Rice", is a unique social festival gathering of Miao youth along the middle reaches of Qingshui River. Some villages celebrate it in February of the lunar calendar. The 15th day of the third lunar month is celebrated in some villages, with the Shidong area of ??Taijiang being the most distinctive. During the festival, every family will prepare a lot of "sister rice" made of red, yellow, white, black and green glutinous rice mixed together to entertain guests and friends. During the day, there are crowds of people along the river, on the roadside, on the beach and on the grass. At night, on the beach and on the grass by the river, high-pitched flying songs, rich and simple singing and love songs are intertwined, reaching far and wide in the quiet night. Far, far away.

Guzang Festival

It is an important ancestor worship activity of the Miao people. A cow is sacrificed once every 13 years. Each term lasts three years. "Guzang Festival" is the most distinctive festival that best reflects the Miao national culture. The activities include both solemn sacrifices and cheerful entertainment. It is an activity that entertains both gods and people.