Miao New Year celebrations bring festive joy to Guizhou

The annual Miao New Year was celebrated on November 16 in Songtao Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Dressed in their traditional attire, local Miao people sang and danced with visitors, creating a vibrant and joyous atmosphere filled with the rich flavors of Miao culture.

Miao New Year, similar to the Spring Festival of the Han people, is a cherished traditional festival of the Miao people, characterized by its lively and inclusive celebrations. Highlights include the welcoming gate wine ceremony, ancestral worship rituals, feasting on festive pork dishes, and performances showcasing Miao traditional skills and crafts. The event features a variety of cultural performances such as Miao singing, dancing and drumming, as well as family reunion feasts.

As the most important festival in the Miao calendar, Miao New Year is a time to celebrate the harvest, honor ancestors, and give thanks to nature. It serves as a platform for showcasing the Miao's diverse cultural heritage, including traditional costumes, silver ornaments, Miao embroidery, and folk customs, many of which are recognized as intangible cultural heritage. Through these vibrant festivities, the community comes together, preserving and passing down their cultural legacy.