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Ethnic Minority Festivals

Panwang Festival of Yao Ethnic Group

March 3rd Festival of Zhuang Ethnic Group

Pumpkin Festival of Maonan Ethnic Group

Ma Guai Festival of Zhuang Ethnic Group

Buyi Ethnic Group Celebrate 2019 'San Yue San' Festival in Guizhou

China is a large country with 55 ethnic minorities. There are public holidays celebrate by certain ethnic minorities in certain regions, which are decided by local governments. It is estimated that more than 1,200 of the 1,700 Chinese festivals belong to ethnic minorities. All these traditional ethnic minority festivals are regarded as indispensable components of the minorities' customs. Ethnic festivals are always fulled with beautiful legends and featured activities to celebrate. Below are some major ethnic minority festivals celebrated in China widely.

Popular Ethnic Festivals in China

Holiday Name	Date	Celebrated by
Double Third Festival	the third day of the third lunar month in Chinese calendar	Zhuang, Yao, Dong, Miao, Buyi, etc
Water-Splashing Festival	April 13–15	Dai
Torch Festival	24th to 27th of the sixth lunar month	Yi, Bai, Naxi, etc.
Nadam Fair	July or August	Mongolian
Shoton Festival	the last day of the sixth month in Tibetan Calendar	Tibetan
Tibetan New Year	1st day of Tibetan year	Tibetan
Corban Festival	10th of December of Islamic calendar	Hui, Uygur, Kazak, etc
Lusheng Festival	the first month or the ninth month in lunar calendar	Miao, Dong
Sisters' Meal Festival	15th day of the third month in the lunar calendar	Miao
Knife-Pole Festival	2nd day of the second lunar month	Lisu
End of Ramadan	The beginning of the tenth month on the Islamic calendar	Hui, Uygur, Kazak, etc

1. Double Third Festival

Date: 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month
Place: Guangxi
Celebrated by: Zhuang, Yao, Dong, Miao, Buyi, etc
Activities: Singing, Dancing

Double Third Festival is a traditional festival of many ethnic groups in China, among which the Zhuang nationality is the typical one. In ancient times, young men and women of the Zhuang nationality gathered in the streets singing happily and gathered by the river for a banquet. During the festival people would cook five-colored rice and colorful eggs to eat and celebrate. It is not only a traditional spring outing festival, but also an important day for the Zhuang people to worship their ancestors, Pangu and Buluotuo. People in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have 3 days off. More about Double Third Festival.

2. Nadam Fair of the Mongolian

Date: July or August
Place: Inner Mongolia
Celebrated by: Mongolian
Activities: wrestling, horseracing, archery, etc

Naadam Festival is Olympic Games of Mongols and held in the most enjoyable and festive month of July or August. It is the only one of its kind, which is a sophisticated and eloquent expression of nomadic culture. It is also the celebration of a national independence, and an outstanding combination of arts and sports. The wrestling, horseracing and archery are the top three sports during the festival. It is not only sports game including art, tricks, tactics but also ethic and cultural performance such as singing, dancing, traditional costume, parade, etc. More about Nadam Fair of the Mongolian.

3. Shoton Festival in Tibet

Date: the last day of the sixth month in Tibetan Calendar
Place: Lhasa, Tibet
Celebrated by: Tibetan
Activities: Great Buddha Display, Tibetan Opera Show and Horsemanship & Yak Race Show

Shoton Festival, commonly known as the Yogurt Festival, is a great festival in Tibet, starting on the last day of the sixth month in Tibetan Calendar and lasting for a few days. It is one of the most popular traditional festivals in Tibet and an annual festival held at Norbulingka in Lhasa, Tibet. It began in the 16th century with a banquet given by the lay people for the monks featuring yogurt. The beautiful grounds of the Norbulingka are filled with partying groups shielded from the wind by gaily coloured hanging walls of rugs and printed canvas. More about Shoton Festival in Tibet.

4. Water Splashing Festival

Date: April 13–15
Place: Xishuangbanna, Yunnan
Celebrated by: Dai
Activities: splashing water

The Water Splashing Festival (Water Spray Festival) is the grandest traditional festival of Dai nationality. During three days in the mid April every year, people splash water to each other to express best regards during the water splashing festival, which is also the New Year for the Dai ethnic group. The person who got sprayed the most water and hared most will be the luckiest. In the evening, they will hold a grand entertainment party and sing, dance, set off fireworks and guess lantern riddles continuously till mid-night. More about Water Splashing Festival.

5. Torch Festival

Date: from 24th to 27th of the sixth lunar month
Place: Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan
Celebrated by: Yi, Bai, Naxi, etc.
Activities: lighting up a bonfire, singing and dancing

The Torch Festival is a traditional festival celebrated by Yi ethnic group in Southwest China. It falls on the 24th or 25th day of the sixth month in Chinese calendar and last for three days. The people would light up a bonfire in front of their house and celebrate it by holding wrestling matches, horse racing, dance shows. The purpose of lighting fires is used to drive away disease and bad energy and celebrate for a good coming harvest. It is recognized as the grandest traditional festival of the Yi ethnic minority. More about Torch Festival.

6. Lusheng Festival

Date: the first month or the ninth month in lunar calendar
Place: Guizhou
Celebrated by: Miao, Dong
Activities: singing, bullfighting, horse racing, dancing to the rhythm of the Lusheng

A lusheng is a reed instrument made of bamboo. The Lusheng Festival is the most influential festival of the Miao community. It features a lot of Miao ethnic activities, such as singing, bullfighting, horse racing, and dancing to the rhythm of the Lusheng. The Lusheng Festival in Kaili, Guizhou is the most famous and grand of the bunch. Gulong Lusheng Festival in Huangping county is held from the 27th day to the 29th day of the ninth lunar month. Playing the Lusheng music and performing the Lusheng dance are an important part of many Miao festivals. More about Lusheng Festival.

7. Sisters’ Meal Festival

Date: the 15th of third lunar month
Place: Guizhou
Celebrated by: Miao
Activities: colored rice, beautiful ethnic costumes, singing and dancing

The Sisters’ Meal Festival is an important festival of the Miao minority in China. Known as the ancient Chinese Valentines’ Day, it’s a celebration of love and spring, and the celebrations usually last for 3 days. There are different colored rice, beautiful ethnic costumes, and singing and dancing between single men and women. It offers opportunities for young people to find their marriage partners. There are also many other activities especially for the elders who already have a partner, including bullfighting, horseracing, drum dancing, rowing, and Lusheng music. More about Sisters' Meal Festival.

Categories of Ethnic Minority Festivals

Ethnic Minority Festivals by Minority

Ethnic Minority	Festivals	Ethnic Minority	Festivals
Mongol(蒙古族)	Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian Lunar New Year)	Bai(白族)	March Fair
	Nadam Fair		Torch Festival
	Obo Festival		Raosanling Festival
	Golden Eagles Festival		Shibaoshan Mountain Singing Festival
Yi(彝族)	Torch Festival	Miao(苗族)	Huashan Festival
	Chahua festival		New Rice Tasting Festival (Chixin Jie)
	Saichuan festival		Miao Spring Festival
	Shiyue Nian		Lusheng Festival
Naxi(纳西族)	Bangbang Meeting	Jingpo(景颇族)	Zongge Festival
	Sanduo Festival		New Rice Festival
	July Meeting		Pumpkin Festival
Tibetan(藏族)	Tibetan New Year		Nengxian Festival
	Saka Dawa Festival	Bouyei(布依族)	Sanyuesan Festival
	Shoton Festival		Ox-God Festival
	Great Prayer Festival		Chabai Singing Festival
	Bathing Festival		June 6th Festival
Dai(傣族)	Water-splashing Festival	Hani(哈尼族)	Ku-Zha-Zha Festival
	Door-closing Festival		Amatu Festival
	Door-opening Festival		Zalete Festival
	Flower Street Festival		New Rice Festival
Zhuang(壮族)	Devil Festival	Lisu(傈僳族)	Kuoshi Festival
	Ox Soul Festival		Zaotang Festival
	Singing Festival		Knife Pole Festival
Hui(回族)	Lesser Bairam (End of Ramadan)	Lahu(拉祜族)	Kuota Festival(Chinese New Year)
	Corban Festival		Wusizha Festival
	Shengji Festival		Sun God Worship Festival
Wa(佤族)	Piaoniu Ceremony	Yao(瑶族)	Panwang Festival
	New Rice Festival		Danu Festival
	Bianke Festival		Cloth Drying Festival
Pumi(普米族)	New-Grain Tasting Festival	Achang(阿昌族)	Woluo Festival
	Spring Festival		Flower Watering Festival
	Zhuanshan Festival		Fair Street Festival
Jinuo(基诺族)	Iron Forging Festival	Shui(水族)	Shui New Year
	Adult Ceremony		Qingming Festival
	New Rice Festival		Dragon Boat Festival
Dulong(独龙族)	Kaquewa(Spring Festival)	Nu(怒族)	Nu New Year's Day
Chaoxian(朝鲜族)	Similar to Han's	Nu(怒族)	Flower Festival
Dongxiang(东乡族)	Mohammed’s Birthday	Bulang(布朗族)	Torch Festival
	Kaizhai Festival		Chengding Festival
	Corban Festival		Hounan Festival
Tatar(塔塔尔族)	Mohammed’s Birthday	Manchu(满族)	Banjin Festival
	Kaizhai Festival		Tiancang Festival
	Corban Festival		Man New Year
Li(黎族)	Spring Festival	Salar(撒拉族)	Mohammed’s Birthday
Li(黎族)	Sanyuesan		Kaizhai Festival
Uzbek(乌孜别克族)	Mohammed’s Birthday		Corban Festival
	Kaizhai Festival	Dong(侗族)	Dongnian Festival
	Corban Festival		New Rice Tasting Festival
Maonan(毛南族)	Fenlong Festival		Sisters Festival
Gelao(仡佬族)	Ox God Festival	Uygur(维吾尔族)	Kaizhai Festival
	Gelao New Year		Corban Festival
	New Rice Tasting Festival (Chixin Jie)		Nowruz Festival
Kirgiz(柯尔克孜族)	Norooz Festival	Ewenki(鄂温克族)	Fire Worship Day
Oroqen(鄂伦春族)	Similar to Han's	Ewenki(鄂温克族)	Mikoulu Festival
She(畲族)	Sanyuesan	Tu(土族)	July Meeting
She(畲族)	She Spring Festival	Xibe(锡伯族)	Smearing Festival
Tujia(土家族)	Diaonian Meeting	Xibe(锡伯族)	Xiqian Festival
Deang(德昂族)	Water-splashing Festival	Daur(达斡尔族)	Black Ash Festival
	Door-opening Festival		Butong Festival
	Door-closing Festival		Daur Spring Festival
Bonan(保安族)	Lesser Bairam	Luoba(珞巴族)	Delingang Festival
Bonan(保安族)	Corban Festival	Mulam仫佬人	Yifan Festival
Qiang(羌族)	Qiang New Year	Tagik(塔吉克族)	Corban Festival
	Jishan Meeting		Almsgiving Festival
Jing(京族)	Changha Festival		Baluoti Festival
Russ(俄罗斯族)	Easter	Gaoshan(高山族)	Harvest Festival
Kazak(哈萨克族)	Noroz Festival	Hezhen(赫哲族)	Wurigong Festival
	Corban Festival	Hezhen(赫哲族)	God Deer Festival
	Rozah Festival	Yugur(裕固族)	June Pageant
Monba(门巴族)	Losar Festival	Yugur(裕固族)	Drive Demon with Fire