China Popular Itineraries |
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Festival Customs of Minority Nationalities |
Among the 56 nationalities of the Chinese people, there have been much exchanges, interactions and assimilation. Owing to these, there have been formed many similar customs related to typical festivals of each nationality. For example, the important festivals of Han nationality are also observed by other minority nationalities. Moreover, Han nationality shares similar meth-ods to fix festival dates with the Mongolians, the Manchus, the Koreans, the Zhuangs. Although the festival dates of these nationalities are different from those of the nationality of the Yis, the Tibetans, the Lisus, the Chiangs, the Tungs, the Pumis, the Tajiks, Jinos, the Tuchias, the Tulungs, and the Ha-his, nearly all the festival activities of these nationalities either involve cele-brating harvest, offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods, family reunion and amusements, or convey wishes for happiness and valuing time. As for ways of festival celebrations, such as the way family get together, the way they sit up through the lunar New Year's Eve, or pay visits on the lunar New Year's Day, they share more similarities than differences. Those who have settled down away from their native land have also become assimilated with the local customs while retaining customs of their own nationalities.
On the other hand, because of the unbalanced development of economy, politics and diversified natural surroundings in different parts of China, or be-cause of differences in traditions and religions between different nationalities, there exists numerous features characteristic of each minority nationalities in festivals and customs. Even within the same nationality, festival customs are different. For instance, each minority nationality has its typical traditional festivals and customs every year; such as the Mongolians' Nadam Fair, the Tibetans' Bathing Festival, the Water-Splashing Festival of the Dais, the Is-lamic Day of Fasting observed by those who believe in Islam including the Huis, the Dongxiang nationality, the Khalkhas, the Kazaks, the Tajiks, and the Uzbeks, the Bullfighting Festival and Daughters' Festival of the Yao na-tionality, the Dragon Boat Festival of the Miao nationality, the Bull King Fes-tival of the Zhuang nationality, the Torch Festival of the Yi and Bai nationali-ties, the August Festival of the Gelos, the Dragon Festival of the Kucong na-tionality, Kangzha Festival of the Lahus. The typical festivals and customs of minority nationalities have a long tradition and remarkable ethnic features. Some of them have become internationally famous as their important embodi-ment, of which they are so proud. Thereby the lives of the whole Chinese people have been enriched. What is noticeable is that the festivals and customs of minority nationalities have been esteemed by the Communist Party of China and the government after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Guided by the policy of ethnic equality, every nationality is free to hold vari-ous festival celebrations and their festival activities have become increasingly healthier, more colorful and civilized.
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