Celebrating tradition at the Panwang Festival of the Yao ethnic group

As one of the oldest ethnic groups in China, Yao people are widely distributed across the southern part of the country. The centuries have nurtured the splendid culture of the Yao ethnic group. Every year on the 16th day of the tenth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, Yao people gather to worship their ancestor – King Pan – through song and dance. This day marks the Panwang Festival, a grand celebration that symbolizes the essence and continuation of Yao traditional culture.

The Panwang Festival has a recorded history of more than 1,700 years. There is a fixed procedure, where the first step is to make offerings to Panwang. Altars are set up and idols are hung. After three fires of a musket and a chorus of firecrackers, elders offer sacrifices such as pig heads, sticky rice cakes, chicken, and wine at the altars in front of the idols. People bow their heads in silent prayers as a sign of respect and remembrance.

After the ceremony, the "Panwang Song" and "Panwang Dance" are performed.

With no written language of their own, the history and culture of the Yao ethnic group have been passed down through the generations orally in the form of songs, legends and stories. The "Panwang Song," also known as the "Great Panwang Song," is an epic and comprehensive collection of Yao poetry. The song covers a wide range of topics including mythology, legends and ancient events, and encompasses everyday aspects of life such as entrepreneurship, migration, farming, hunting, love and marriage.

The "Panwang Dance" is accompanied by drum and gong music. The dancers twist, turn, and leap, showcasing scenes of the Yao ancestors engaged in farming, hunting and military expeditions.

In May 2006, with the approval of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, the Panwang Festival was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. The Panwang Festival has evolved beyond being solely a celebration for the Yao people, and it now attracts numerous tourists who come to experience Yao culture during this period.