Guizhou's Baojing Sanyuesan: A Dong festival of national intangible cultural heritage

Silver ornaments chime and lusheng melodies drift through the mountain air. This spring, step into southwest China's Guizhou Province and experience the unique rhythms of Dong culture through its landscapes and songs.

The Sanyuesan Festival in Baojing Dong Village, Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province, is an important traditional festival of the local Dong ethnic group, held annually on the third day of the third lunar month. Also known as the Sowing Festival or the Scallion-asking Festival, it was inscribed on China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2014.

During the festival, people celebrate through a variety of vibrant activities, including the scallion-asking courtship ritual, folk performances, antiphonal singing of Dong songs, intangible cultural heritage parades, long-table feasts and bonfire gatherings.

As portrayed in the film "The Grand Song," what stands out is not only the beauty of the melodies but also the Dong people's distinctive way of life and cultural spirit.

From screen to reality, these traditions are not just cinematic moments – they are lived experiences in Dong villages today: emotions expressed through singing, meanings conveyed through rituals and heritage carried forward in everyday life.