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Sisters Meal Festival
Publish：China Guizhou Travel Guide Time：2025-12-09 Views:1466
The Sisters Meal Festival (Miao: Longgaliang or Longgalang), also known as the Miao Sisters’ Rice Festival, is a time-honored traditional festival of the Miao ethnic group, primarily celebrated in Taijiang County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China. Inscribed on China’s first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006, it is hailed as “the oldest Oriental Valentine’s Day” and carries profound cultural connotations of matriarchal legacy, romantic courtship, and ethnic identity.
Origin and Historical Background
The festival’s roots can be traced back to the primitive matriarchal clan society, with a history spanning over thousands of years. According to local ballads and folklore, its origin is closely linked to the Miao people’s westward migration. In ancient times, Miao sisters separated by marriage due to migration would gather annually to share glutinous rice and fish, strengthening their kinship bonds. Over time, this gathering evolved into a fixed festival. Another legend tells of two star-crossed lovers who used dyed glutinous rice to convey their affection and defy arranged marriage norms, adding a romantic layer to the festival’s origin .
Celebration Time and Core Regions
The main celebration period falls on the 15th to 17th day of the third lunar month (with regional variations from the first to fourth lunar months). Shidong Town and Laotun Township in Taijiang County are the core venues, where the festival is celebrated with the most grand and authentic rituals, thanks to their long-standing status as cultural hubs of the Miao ethnic group.
Key Customs and Activities
Preparation of Five-Colored Sisters’ RiceThis is the iconic core of the festival. Miao women dye glutinous rice into five colors (green, red, white, yellow, purple) using natural plant pigments: green from southern candle leaves, red from certain flower stamens or red yeast rice, yellow from honey osmanthus, purple from purple leaves, and white from unprocessed glutinous rice. Each color has symbolic meaning: green represents the beautiful homeland along the Qingshui River, red symbolizes clan prosperity, white stands for pure love, yellow for bumper harvests, and purple for good fortune .
Romantic “Love Codes” in Sisters’ RiceThe rice serves as a silent messenger of affection. Young Miao women hide small tokens in the rice when presenting it to suitors, with each token carrying a specific romantic implication :
Pine needles: A request for embroidery threads as a return gift
Bamboo hooks: A hint to present an umbrella (one hook for one umbrella; interlocked hooks mean hoping for frequent visits)
Coriander or toon buds: A signal of willingness to marry
Cotton: A sign of longing for the suitor
Live duck: A wish for the suitor to send a piglet for the next year’s festival feast
Field Activities and Traditional Performances
At dawn of the festival, young men and women go to fields to catch fish and shrimp, engaging in playful banter and building connections. In the afternoon, Miao women dress in elaborate silver ornaments and embroidered costumes, gathering at drum squares for “stepping on the drum” (a group dance around a bronze drum), showcasing the ethnic group’s stunning costume culture . After dark, young people gather at “youfang” (courtship) venues, where men use leaf whistles to invite women for antiphonal singing, a key ritual for expressing love that can last until dawn.
At dawn of the festival, young men and women go to fields to catch fish and shrimp, engaging in playful banter and building connections. In the afternoon, Miao women dress in elaborate silver ornaments and embroidered costumes, gathering at drum squares for “stepping on the drum” (a group dance around a bronze drum), showcasing the ethnic group’s stunning costume culture . After dark, young people gather at “youfang” (courtship) venues, where men use leaf whistles to invite women for antiphonal singing, a key ritual for expressing love that can last until dawn.
Cultural Significance and Modern Development
Cultural Inheritance:
The festival is a living carrier of Miao culture, preserving traditions like multiphonal folk songs, silver ornament craftsmanship, and bronze drum dances through generational transmission.
The festival is a living carrier of Miao culture, preserving traditions like multiphonal folk songs, silver ornament craftsmanship, and bronze drum dances through generational transmission.
Social Bonding: Beyond courtship, it is a platform for community gatherings, where relatives and friends reconnect, enhancing ethnic cohesion .
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