The Torch Festival
It is on 24th lunar June that the Torch Festival of Yi Nationality is held in Xinping County. When the festival is coming forward, people kill pigs and sheep. Moreover, they prepare firewood such as rosin and wood for the festival. At night on 24th lunar June, the young men run across the village and the fields with a torch on hand, shouting for joy. They put some rosin on the fire from time to time, so that the torches become brighter. All the torches combine into a long firedrake. People usually light a large torch at the selected square. The torches held by the young men are put around the large one, symbolising unity. Then the villagers begin to sing and dance around the torches till the next morning. It is said that Torch Festival is held to commemorate the affair of killing the pests and defeating the evil. At present, the Torch Festival is deduced as the “Carnival of the Youth”, which is a party for the youth of Yi Nationality to choose a lover.

The Pilgrimage Party
It is also called Pilgrimage Festival. From lunar February 11st to 18th, people of Yi Nationality usually kill animals, such as sheep and cocks to offer sacrifice to the Mountain God and to cater the friends from different places. At night, thousands of people assembled in several big circles, dancing and singing in Sanxian (Three-stringed Instrument) and Reed-pipe music. It is said that the festival is held to commemorate a fairy named Mu Ga who had shaken off hardship for Yi Nationality.

The Men’s Carnival
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful town named Xinhua in Xinping with green and luxuriant trees, with fish swimming happily in the springs and birds chirping boisterously in the trees. Today’s Guangtoushan (barren) Mountain was called the Luxuriant Mountain at that time. People there led a happy life.
Unfortunately, one day the Fire Ghost in the heaven passed over the Xinhua Town. He became very envious for the wonderful scenery, so that the Fire Ghost sent fire in the Luxuriant Mountain. The fierce fire had burn for nine days. The village head was very upset and he announced whoever could defeat the Fire Ghost would be his son in law.
However, no one came forward to enlist until nine days passed. A strong young man named Pu Da, who was an orphan, decided to fight against the Fire Ghost. Pu Da knew that if the ancient forest was burnt, the springs would dry and the birds would not sing again. The people would lead a miserable life. The village head convened 99 strong men to help Pu Da fight against the evil. After a ferocious struggle, Pu Da and the other men defeated the Fire Ghost who escaped disappointedly. They came back to the village with black faces smoked by the fire. Having known the village men had won, the girls and women arrived at the side of the ancient forest to welcome the heroes.
99 cattle and sheep were killed to thank the heroes at the celebration. The village head betrothed his daughter to Pu Da.
Since then, the girls and women put on beautiful clothes, with flowers inserted on the head and assemble by the ancient forest during the latter half of March. They sing and dance to celebrate the arrival of the heroes. It is called “the Men’s Carnival”. The festival is very enthusiastic for there are not only the figures of the heroes, but also the wonderful music from drum and four-stringed instrument.

Sources: Yuxi Web