The Festival Customs of Liangshan Yi People's Torch Festival

Torch Festival is the biggest traditional festival of Yi people in Liangshan, Sichuan. At that time, every family drank, ate tuotuo meat and killed animals to worship their ancestors. People put on new clothes and carry out cultural and sports activities with national characteristics. Men take part in bullfighting, herding sheep, raising chickens, horse racing and wrestling. Women sing, play strings and play Qin Yue. Swim the flashlight around the house at night; On the third night, they traveled around Shan Ye in groups with torches, and then they gathered in one place to light bonfires, burn torches, drink, sing and dance until the end of the morning.

The first day of Torch Festival: Sacrificing fire. On this day, everyone puts on their favorite clothes and is happy. Every village will kill cattle and sheep, hold banquets, all kinds of meat, fragrant and sweet wine, and the aroma is overflowing. If you worship it, God will be full of praise. When night falls, people near the village will set up an altar at the location selected by the old man, and tap stones to light the flame in the traditional way. Bimo (a Yi folk priest) will recite the scriptures and offer sacrifices to Vulcan. Then, every household, adults and children will wander in the corner of the field with torches made of wormwood from Bimo, imitating Asher's legend of fire repellent.

The second day of Torch Festival: spread the fire. On this day, every family gathers under the sacred fire of the altar and holds various traditional festivals. Boys should imitate the legendary Atiba, horse racing, wrestling, singing, bullfighting, fighting sheep and cockfighting. The girls imitate the legendary Ashima, wearing beautiful clothes and holding a butter umbrella, singing Doloho and dancing with their bodies. On this day, the most important activity is the beauty contest of Yi family. Older people should choose handsome men and beautiful women of the year from boys and girls according to the legendary standards such as Ashiba's hard work, courage, handsome spirit and Ashima's kindness, intelligence and beauty. As night falls, a pair of affectionate men and women, in the mountains, by the stream, under the butter umbrella, pluck Qin Yue, play the strings and tell each other about their lovesickness. Therefore, some people call Liangshan Yi International Torch Festival "Valentine's Day in the East".

Torch Festival Day 3: Send fire. This is the climax of the entire Liangshan Yi International Torch Festival. On this day, when night falls, everyone will run around with torches. Finally, people gathered their torches together to form a huge bonfire, and happy people gathered around the bonfire to sing and dance heartily. The scene is extremely spectacular. Therefore, it is also called "Oriental Carnival Night".