The torch festival of China's Yi ethnic group opened on Friday in Sichuan Province's Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, featuring diverse events including intangible cultural heritage displays and bonfire parties that attracted numerous people to enjoy the immersive ethnic experiences.
At dusk on Friday, crowds of locals and tourists gathered at the main venue of the festival in Xichang City to capture moments and revel in the festivities, while a vibrant parade unfolded. "I came over yesterday just to see the lively torch festival of the Yi ethnic group. In the past, I had only watched it in videos, but experiencing it firsthand this time is truly breathtaking," said a tourist.
"It is particularly lively, and the traditional clothing of the local ethnic minorities is very beautiful. It is also our first time bringing our kid to the festival and she found it very novel and enjoyable. It also provides us with a chance to learn more about traditional national culture," another tourist said.
As night fell, a bonfire party commenced at the main venue. With the roaring flames soaring meters high, participants held torches and joined in the iconic traditional dance of the Yi ethnic group. This event is meant to dispel misfortunes and pray for blessings and a bumper harvest.
A total of 88 bonfires were set up on-site, spanning 4.8 kilometers. When viewed from above, it resembled a giant fire dragon, illuminating the night sky of the city.
"I come from Guangxi, and I have brought many friends with me to experience the torch festival. We must connect with the fire and nature. I believe this is a wonderful platform provided by Xichang. I'm very happy," a tourist said.
Apart from Xichang, various regions in Liangshan have also been organizing festival-themed events.
In Puge County, the traditional fire-lighting ceremony kicked off local celebrations. Young women dressed in colorful embroidered costumes danced gracefully with yellow umbrellas, while at Torch Square, a thrilling bullfight drew cheers from the excited crowd.
"I felt the ethnic charm and how deeply the local people value the Torch Festival. The bullfight was also very spectacular and intense," said a tourist.
In Yuexi County, a torch show in the rice paddies attracted thousands of tourists. Following the lead of local villagers, tourists lit torches among the crops in the terraced fields to drive away pests with flames.
Yuexi has attracted over 260,000 tourists since July 11, generating a total tourism revenue exceeding 2.8 billion yuan (about 390 million in U.S. dollars) for the county.
Torch festival of Yi ethnic group opens in China's Sichuan
