How do the Tibetans, Yi, Zhuang, Manchu and Dai celebrate the Spring Festival?

On New Year’s Eve of the Tibetan people, people put on colorful clothes and strange masks, play music with suonas, conch shells, and drums, and perform a solemn and grand "Tiao Shen Meeting." The young men dance and sing wildly, which means to get rid of the old and welcome the new, and to drive away evil spirits and bring blessings. On New Year's morning, women carry "auspicious water" to wish them good luck in the new year.

Yi Nationality Compatriots of the Yi nationality choose their festivals based on the Yi calendar. Some celebrate the Spring Festival with the local Han people. In some areas, the Yi compatriots set up green pine trees in front of their doors and spread the ground with pine needles to avoid disasters. In other areas, pigs and sheep are killed during the festival and lumps of meat are eaten. People visit each other and give each other meat and steamed buns. On the morning of New Year's Day, the first thing I do when I get up is to carry water home. They compare the weight of a bowl of water with yesterday's water. If the New Year's water is heavier, it means there will be enough rain this year.

Zhuang compatriots distributed in Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangdong and other regions celebrate the Spring Festival at the same time as the Han people. On New Year's Eve, the rice eaten on the festival day is cooked, which is called "New Year's Eve rice". In some areas, people call it "eating Lijie", which means "spending the old year" in Zhuang language. It heralds a good agricultural harvest in the coming year. Some even make cakes that are more than a foot long and weigh five or six kilograms. A family with a small population will not be able to finish the whole meal! Early in the morning on the first day of the Lunar New Year, people get up before dawn, put on new clothes, and set off firecrackers to welcome the new year. Women are rushing to the river or well to "draw new water" and start the exciting life of the new year.

The entire Buyi family stays up all night by the pond on New Year’s Eve. As soon as day breaks, the girls rush to fetch water. Whoever carries back the first load of water first will be the most diligent and happiest girl.

Manchu Manchu people are divided into four banners: red, yellow, blue and white. During the Spring Festival, people with red flags put red flags on their doors, people with yellow flags put yellow flags on their doors, people with blue flags put blue flags on their doors, and people with white flags put white flags on their doors. These hanging flags have beautiful patterns and bright colors, symbolizing the auspicious beginning of the year.

Dong compatriots in Guizhou and Hunan have a popular mass activity called "Dong Year Fighting" (also called Lusheng Festival) during the Spring Festival. This kind of activity is similar to the "group worship" of the Han people, but it is more joyful and enthusiastic. This kind of activity is usually organized by consensus between the two village leaders. The two teams officially held a Lusheng singing and dancing competition in the square. At this time, the audience in the two villages danced to the music and had fun.

Bai ethnic group When the Bai ethnic group in Yunnan celebrates the New Year, there is a celebration called "Fang Gaosheng". The so-called "high-sheng" method is to use a whole big bamboo, load gunpowder into the bamboo joints, and after lighting it, the whole big bamboo can collapse hundreds of feet into the sky, becoming a veritable "high-sheng". In some areas, Bai compatriots, like the Miao and Zhuang people, engage in the "Hydrangea Throwing" activity from the Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival. Anyone who cannot catch the hydrangea should give the other party a souvenir. If he misses the ball many times but cannot redeem the souvenir, he is expressing his willingness to love.

Tujia people During the Spring Festival, the Tujia people hold a grand waving dance. The hand-waving dance is a popular ancient dance of the Tujia people. It includes more than 70 dance movements such as hunting, military, farming, and banquets. It has a distinctive rhythm, graceful movements, simple dance postures, and a healthy mood. It does not use props and has distinct ethnic characteristics and strong breath of life.

Dai Nationality The Water Splashing Festival is the New Year festival of the Dai nationality and the most grand traditional event of the year for the Dai nationality. The day when Guyu begins is designated as the "Water Splashing Festival". During the three- or four-day festival, people splash water on each other to wash away the old dirt on their bodies and wish them happiness and peace in the new year.

The Li people living on Hainan Island, every Spring Festival, every household will slaughter pigs and chickens, serve sumptuous food and wine, and the whole family will sit together to eat "New Year's dinner"; Also sing "New Year's Eve Song". On the first and second days of junior high school, a "Spring Festival Hunt" is held for all young and middle-aged men in the village. This day's prey is shared by the whole village. What is interesting is that when dividing the prey, half of the total prey is first given to the shooter who hits the prey first; the other half is divided equally among everyone. Pregnant women can get two points, and passers-by who happen to meet can also get one.