Torch Festival
torch festival fire festival chinese 火把节 pinyin huǒbǎ jié nuosu language ꄔꊒ yypy dut zie bai huix‧zuit‧jiarx also known xinghui festival chinese 星回节 pinyin xīnghuí jié lit return star one main holiday yi people southwest china celebrated ethnic group region including bai hani lahu naxi pumi well celebrated th th day sixth month yi calendar corresponding august gregorian calendar commemorates legendary wrestler atilabia drove away plague locust using torch made pine tree since government liangshan yi autonomous prefecture sichuan sponsored modernised celebration festival featuring wrestling horse racing dance show beauty contest original torch festival according scholar based calendar used bai yi people ancient time calendar included month day month two star returning festival winter summer respectively two star returning festival considered new year one summer called torch festival people often lighted torch day also many legend origin torch festival yet purpose offering sacrifice deity dispelling ghost wish harvest torch festival every family need light torch hold torch illuminate corner room walk around field villager even torch parade drive away bad luck pray harvest preparation may begin month advance people gathering wormwood make torch wormwood especially popular around liangshan believed ward evil typically three torch made per person custom holding torch shed light tree field found han people southern song dynasty ming qing dynasty people zhejiang jiangsu province custom well time started emperor lighting first flame bonfire shared eunuch official shared fire people kingdom torch parade bonfire party people play musical instrument like yueqin 月琴 sanxian three stringed plucked instrument singing dancing whole night festival also involves sacrifice food cattle traditional eat beef torch festival good luck traditional food include noodle fruit customary clean one house wear fine clothing hold sporting event including wrestling horse race bullfight modern time festival become tourist attraction liangshan yi autonomous prefecture local public holiday lasting multiple day begin july gregorian calendar miller lucien guo xu xu kun torch festival south cloud tale yunnan university washington press pp – isbn harrell stevan way ethnic southwest china study ethnic group china university washington press isbn