Qiang New Year: A grand celebration of tradition, harvest and peace

The Qiang New Year Festival is the grandest and most important traditional festival for the Qiang ethnic group, usually falling on the first day of the tenth month of the traditional Chinese calendar.

Celebrating the harvest, sending blessings and praying for peace are the central themes of Qiang New Year. The ceremonial rituals are simple and primitive, creating a uniquely rich cultural atmosphere that reflects the distinctive characteristics of Qiang culture.

The Qiang people are an ancient ethnic group with a history of thousands of years. Living in high mountain valleys and in a relatively isolated and closed environment has led to the development of their unique traditional culture – and Qiang New Year is a typical example.

The origins of the Qiang New Year are uncertain, but it is said to have begun in ancient times before the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC).

The solemnity of its rituals and the meticulous nature of its sacrifices, especially in the ceremonies, make it a comprehensive folk festival that combines religious beliefs, historical legends, music, dance and cuisine. In terms of its content, it largely reflects early agricultural activities, retaining many cultural remnants of the nomadic and hunting eras.

When Qiang New Year arrives, each village holds elaborate celebrations, usually lasting from three to five days, and in some villages as long as 10 days, with slight variations from region to region. The celebrations mainly consist of sacrifices and entertainment. The sacrificial activities include offerings to heaven, earth, ancestors, and village deities, while the entertainment includes feasting, drinking, enjoying delicacies, singing and dancing.

In 2009, the Qiang New Year Festival was included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its importance and the need to preserve it.