Rice planting season begins in SW China’s Yunnan with colorful local ritual

As rice transplanting season begins in Dali, a city in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province, villagers in Zhoucheng village, Xizhou town, recently marked the occasion with a vibrant farming ritual known as Zaiyanghui, or the "rice transplanting festival."

A time-honored agricultural festival of the Bai ethnic group, Zaiyanghui blends farming activities with ritual celebration, marking the start of rice transplanting and expressing hopes for a bountiful harvest.

On the first day of transplanting, called Kaiyangmen, or "opening the rice gate," villagers dressed in the Bai ethnic group’s traditional, vividly colored and intricately embroidered costumes gathered for a festive procession. They carried baskets of rice seedlings adorned with flowers and waved flags decorated with auspicious symbols such as dragons, phoenixes and clouds, parading toward the paddies to the sound of suona horns, gongs and drums.

After the procession arrived at the fields, the rice planting began. As villagers worked, the Yangguan, or "rice officer," walked behind them, rhythmically beating a bronze gong, filling the air with music and laughter.

A distinctive part of Bai culture, the lively festival reflects farmers' hopes for good weather and abundant harvests. Locals believe the more festive the planting season, the fuller the autumn grain.