Zhangjiajie Festivals and Events

Zhangjiajie, a place with many ethnic minorities, has many unique folk festivals and the strong customs, which have become the major scenery line of Hunan Tourism. Although there are many traditional festivals in China, the most exciting is undoubtedly unique festivals for all ethnic groups. Here, China Dragon Tours will introduce the representative ethnic festivals in Zhangjiajie.

The Torch Festival of Bai Minority(白族火把节)

The Torch Festival is celebrated by Bai People on June 25 in lunar calendar. In the downtown area in Zhangjiajie, Bai Minority people host the Torch Festival for preventing pests from ruining crops. Participants light torches in front of their houses and set 35-foot-high torches---made from pine and cypress timbers stuffed with smaller branches---in their village squares. Then, they encircle the fire and pray to the god of fire for driving out evil. The Bulang, Wa, Lisu, Lahu, Hani and Jinuo minorities hold similar festivals but on different dates.

New Year of Tujia Minority(土家新年)

Tujia people celebrate the New Year for three times, namely "Guogan Year(过赶年)" on the 29th or 28th of December in the lunar calendar, "June Year(六月年)" on June 25 in the lunar calendar. and "October Year(十月年)" on October in the lunar calendar and they generally hold these festivals in the Tujia Minority Villages.

At the night of Guogan Year, people make a bonfire in the playground of villages and encircle the fire to play, dance and sing songs. On June Year, the Tujia people slaughter cattle as a sacrifice. On October Year, Tujia people celebrate the festival together.

Tujia June 6(土家六月六)

Tujia June 6 is celebrated on June 6 in the lunar calendar and is held in Tujia Towns and Villages. Tujia June 6 has a very rich festival customs, some related to the sky, some related to the earth, some related to God and some related to the ancestors. The customs related to the sky are mainly "worshiping the Sun God." Some Tujia people in Xiangxi think that June 6 is the birthday of the sun. Therefore, it is necessary to worship the sun god, pray for the sun god to give sunshine,  and ensure a good harvest.

Zhangjiajie International Forest Festival

It is celebrated in September every year. Zhangjiajie boasts the first national forest park in China. Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was included in the world natural heritage list in 1992 and has the most scientific and aesthetic values, with 3,103 cloud-surrounded quartz sandstone peaks rising straight from the ground, presenting wonderful scenery. The local government sponsors the Zhangjiajie International Forest Protection Festival by relying on the excellent forest resources.

Other Special Festivals in Zhangjiajie

• Birthday of Earth God(土地神生日): It is celebrated on February 2 in the lunar calendar. What's more, the locals hold a temple fair to celebrate the festival.
• Huachao Festival(花朝大期): It is celebrated on February 15 in the lunar calendar. Of course, it is the time when young girls to pierce their ears and men and women get married.
• Sagebrush Festival(蒿子节): It is celebrated on March 3 in the lunar calendar. In general, the locals celebrate the festival by eat the Sagebrush cake made from sagebrush and rice.
• Buddha Bathing Festival(浴佛节): It is celebrated on April 8 in the lunar calendar, What's more, the festival is also known as the local labor day.