The Torch Festival is the principal festival of Yi nationality in Southwest China. It begins on 24th day of the sixth lunar month. Early in the morning when the Torch Festival starts, people gather together, wearing new clothes. Some participate in wrestling, bullfighting, archery contests or horserace, while others watch, drinking alcoholic beverages. At night, people light torches and go around houses and fields to expel insects. Thousands of torches can be seen moving along paths in the fields, finally gathering together on the village outskirts. All of them gather around the burning fire, dancing in groups, hand in hand. Boys play bamboo flutes, moon-shaped guitars or large three stringed instruments while girls dance the moon dance. The festivities may continue until dawn.

There is a legend about the origin of the Torch Festival. Long, long ago, there was an invincible wrestler whose name was Eqilaba. He was so famous that the God in Heaven sent down another good wrestler to have a match with him. Unfortunately, the wrestler from Heaven was killed, and the God got angry. He sent down a warms of “heavenly insects” to destroy corps and damage farmer houses. Eqilaba and his friends went up to the mountains where they cut down bamboo trees to make torches. They lighted these and used them to fight the insects. Finally the insects were all killed, and the crops and houses remained safe. To honor Eqilaba’s victory over the insects, people repeated the torch ritual every year, and as time went on, the ritual developed into the current torch festival.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.