Brief Introduction
China is a large country with 55 ethnic minorities. Because of the differences in living environments, history and customs, characteristic festivals are held by the ethnic minorities besides the Spring Festival , and Mid-autumn Festival that the Han Chinese celebrate. All these traditional ethnic minority festivals are regarded as indispensable components of the minorities' customs.
It is estimated that more than 1,200 of the 1,700 Chinese festivals are ethnic minorities' festivals. Each festival there is based on its own origin or legend, and a single festival can also have different origins. Some of these festivals are related to religions and beliefs, such as the Corban Festival and Kaizhai Festival, whereas others are linked to entertainment activities, such as the Nadam Fair of Mongolia and the Tibetan New Year.
Some of the ethnic minority festivals are so grand and influential that they attract spectators from far away. The following are some of the representative festivals:
| Festival | Ethnic Minority | Date | |
| Water-Splashing Festival | Dai | April 14th to 16th | |
| Torch Festival | Yi, Bai, Naxi, etc. | 24th to 26th day of the sixth lunar month | |
| Knife-Pole Festival | Lisu | 2nd day of the second lunar month | |
| Bullfight Festival | Miao | 25th day of the first lunar month | |
| Adult Ceremony | Jino | The day girls turn 15 years old and boys 16 years old | |
| March Fair | Bai, Yi, Hui, Zang, etc | 15th to 21st day of the third lunar month | |
| Nadam Fair | Mongolian | July or August | |
| Kaizhai Festival | Hui, Uygur, Kazak, etc. | The beginning of the tenth month on the Islamic calendar | |
| Corban Festival | Hui, Uygur, Kazak, etc. | The tenth day of the twelfth month on the Islamic calendar | |
Copyright© 1998-2009 TravelChinaGuide.com, All rights reserved.
Travelers' Voices on Chinese Ethnic Minority Festivals
1.
May. 31,2009 21:50 Reply
Mr. antropologist said:
The Water Splashing Festival of the Dai coincide with that of Songkran Festival
in Thailand. Are the Thais and the Dais both share the same languages spoken , written and same culture as well.In other word are they the same race but living in different countries? their names suggest so.
Jun. 1,2009 03:36
Mr.paula(cn) replied:
Dai is a branch of tai nationality.