Here's some useful trivia that you might want to make note of: Yunnan Province boasts the most ethnic groups in China -- and along with it, a wealth of ethnic customs. Two celebrations by the Yao and Hani people have been held recently at the province's Hong He ethnic prefecture.
On October 16th of their lunar calendar, Yao people held big celebrations to commemorate what they believe being their first ancestor, a king named Pan Wang who lived 1700 years ago. After a ceremony to offer sacrifices to the king, locals perform songs and dances on the stage.
Normally, the Pan Wang festival is celebrated every three to five years, but the longest gap between two festivals was 12 years.
The celebration depends on factors from crop yield to the well-being of the people and the animals. On the day of celebration, locals will clean the house and dress up and get together on the main street for song and dance.
Hekou County has one of the largest population of Yao people. The celebration this year fell on a Sunday, which alos coincided with the unveiling of a newly constructed plaza dedicated to the ancestral king. The plaza, along with a series of temples, will become a place for locals to protect and promote their ethnic cultures.
Also on Sunday, the Hani people in Honghe Prefecture held a large street performance to mark one of their proudest traditions, "The Long Street Banquet." Thousands of people in ethnic costumes took to the street to perform their traditional dance. Hani's long banquet which can consist of as many as eight hundred tables placed side by side in the street and held on holidays, has become a major local tourist attraction.
"I've been here for several days. I feel Hani people are very hospitable. I've been to many tourist spots nearby. I like this place very much."
The long banquet is held by the Hani people this time of year as a substitute to Han people's Spring Festival. A big street celebration is held to complement their long banquet tradition, and to promote their culture to more tourists.
