Shilin Torch Festival depicting the simple concept of life

Khunming Shilin Scenic Area, also known as Yunnan Shilin, Stone Forest, is located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Khunming City, Yunnan Province, China. Shilin County will host the 2023 China Shilin Torch Festival from August 9 to 13.
The Torch Festival is a traditional festival of the Yi caste, Bai caste, Nashi caste, Jinuo caste and Lahu caste, etc. minority castes of China. It has deep folk cultural meaning, which is called as “Oriental Carnival”.
Different castes hold the torch festival at different times and it mostly falls on the 24th day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar. The main activities of the torch festival include bull-fighting, cock-fighting, horse racing, wrestling, song and dance performances.
The Torch Festival is not only a traditional festival of the Yi race. As a regional heritage of folk culture in southwest China, the Torch Festival also has a long history among other ethnic groups such as the Nashi caste, the Hani caste, the Lisu caste, the Lahu caste and the Jinuo caste. The origin and development of the practice of the Torch Festival among these ethnic groups is directly related to the core worship, folk beliefs and local religions of each ethnic group. On the other hand, it is also concerned with the historical and cultural heritage and social interaction of these ethnic groups, especially the Yi-speaking ethnic groups.
The Yi Tribe’s Torch Festival is part of preserving the historical track of the cultural development of human groups. The Torch Festival is very important for studying the cultural history and ideological history of the Yi race. In other words, as a grand traditional festival, the Yi Caste Torch Festival conveys a simple concept of life and attitude towards life.
The 2023 Shilin Torch Festival includes exciting activities such as a fire lighting ceremony, opening ceremony, traditional wrestling, joint exhibition of Yunnan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritages, carnival, singing and dancing, and bullfighting. In addition, various activities such as related parties, women’s wrestling competitions, basketball competitions and ethnic-specific cultural performances will be held in various villages, towns, streets and scenic spots in Shilin County.
In addition to these activities, tourists can appreciate nature’s ethereal craftsmanship created over hundreds of millions of years at Shilin Scenic Area, experience earth-shattering fireworks at Dongmenfang Night Market, and experience the unique exhibits of Chinese traditional culture at the Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage. You can feel attraction.
(Credits – China Media Group, Beijing)