Sani people’s Mizhi Festival is called the only men's day in the world as all participants are male. Generally it lasts for 7 days from mouse day to horse day of lunar November every year.

Every Sani village has a Mizhi forest which functions as the “sacred forest” where cutting and hunting are both prohibited.

Sacrifice activities for Mizhi Festival are held in Mizhi forest. At dawn on mouse day, all the clergy go to Mizhi forest with the sound “A Ge! A Ge!” Mizhi god is a century-old tree in Mizhi forest. The sacrifice ceremony is presided over by the host, and pure white sheep will be offered to Mizhi god. Bimo chants to pray for safety, peace, and good harvest of the whole village.

The clergy should prepare food for picnic - mostly mutton and taro, etc., and Tephrosia candida is a must - these dishes are said to be the must-have food for ancient ancestors during celebration. In Mizhi forest, people can vent all their dissatisfaction, and even scold people to their face, while the scolded could only reply with smile and toast.

Mizhi Festival of Yi (Sani) in Shilin was included in Kunming Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List in June 2006.

Mizhi Festival in Nuohei Village 1 (Photographed by Zhu Yongfa)

Mizhi Festival in Nuohei Village 2 (Photographed by Zhu Yongfa)

Mizhi Cultural Festival in Suoyishan Village (Photo from online)

(Text from Holiday Tourism)