Torch Festival is held on June 24th of the lunar calendar every year. Its origin is also recorded in Chinese literature. And Yi people have many folk legends about it. According to Yi legends, “long long ago, Yi people were about to enjoy a harvesting autumn, but god Enzeguzi did not want them to live a good life, so he sent Shidali to trample all the crops. Yi people were full of anger, and a young man named Baocong came out of the crowd to fight against Shidali. After fighting for three days and nights, Baocong defeated Shidali, who lowered his head and changed into a bare mountain. God was angry and spread gray powder, which became countless pests and fell to endanger the crops like dark cloud covering the sun. Seeing that the endeavor of a year would be lost, Yi people raised a torch each and burned all the pests, and finally won a bumper harvest. Since then, June 24th every year has become a traditional festival in which Yi people ignite torches to conquer evils and celebrate harvest. ”

Torch Festival Opening Ceremony

On June 24th, villagers dressed in festive costumes gathered in the wrestling field to celebrate this annual traditional festival. Warmest celebration can be seen in stone forest, by shores of Long Lake, and on the foot of Gui Mountain.

Singing and dancing performance

In some places, Torch Festival celebration lasts for two days: bullfighting on the first day and wrestling event for the second day.

Wrestling

Bullfighting is divided into two kinds of cattle fighting and buffalo fighting. Cattle fighting is “gentler”, thus comes first. Buffalo fighting goes from weak to strong. If two tempered buffalo encounter, there will be undoubtedly a fierce battle. Sometimes the winner also chases after the other to death. Then the owner will have to risk his life to stop fighting again.

Bullfighting

Wrestling in the past Torch Festivals had strong religious features. First, two or more pairs of male elders from the organizer's village hold each other in the field to perform "rolling". Then the youngest player in the village start challenging and young players from other villages will respond from young to old, and finally strong men come to play.

Gala

Young men and women have Dasanxian Dance and sing love songs in the corner not far from the wrestling field.

At night, all torches are ignited, presenting a distant view like falling stars and a close shot like a flaming dragon; piles of bonfire burn with bright flame. The fire team shuttles through the fields and wilderness. Young people holding torches play and fight with youth flashing in the fire. When the fire is completely dissolved into the night, young people will swim in the water - it is said that bathing on the holiday night can help with good luck. In some places, fire will last all night long until morning glow from the east.