On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, the annual Black Rice Festival kicked off in Gaoyi Ancient Village, Huitong County. Tourists from across the country flocked to the village to experience authentic Dong ethnic customs and savour the genuine local culture of the Dong community.
During the festival, all black rice workshops in the village were open to the public. Centering on intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship, a host of immersive folk experience activities were launched, bringing time-honored traditional skills close to the public. In the workshops, inheritors of intangible cultural heritage demonstrated complete ancient procedures including picking leaves of Vaccinium bracteatum, grinding leaf juice, soaking glutinous rice and steaming black rice with firewood. They also elaborated on the origin and cultural significance of the Black Rice Festival. Visitors tried grinding leaf juice, wrapping distinctive black rice dumplings and tasting fragrant black rice, getting up close to intangible cultural heritage and traditional culture through hands-on experience.
The grand traditional Dong welcoming ceremony was held in front of the solemn memorial archway of Gaoyi Ancient Village, representing the most distinguished local hospitality etiquette. Dong people dressed in exquisite ethnic costumes lined up to greet guests, presenting mellow rice wine and singing melodious Dong folk songs. Tourists took turns to taste the distinctive door-blocking wine and sing along with resonant local ballads, immersing themselves in the unique hospitality culture and folk customs of the Dong people in southwest Hunan.
Long tables were laid out along village lanes for traditional Dong black rice feast. Glossy handmade black rice with delicate herbal fragrance serves as the staple food, accompanied by local delicacies including home-cured bacon, dried bamboo shoots and seasonal wild vegetables, presenting an authentic feast featuring Dong flavors. Villagers and tourists sat around tables to enjoy local dishes.
Authentic performances showcasing traditional Dong wedding customs were staged during the festival. The shows fully reproduced classic wedding rituals including bridal weeping and dressing, antiphonal singing at the village entrance and wedding procession. Performers in traditional Dong costumes faithfully restored ancient wedding etiquettes. The vivid live displays enabled visitors to learn about the cultural connotations and folk roots of Dong wedding traditions. Many tourists joined the procession and song and dance interactions, fully embracing the charm of ethnic folk culture.
To diversify festive experiences, the village organized rustic countryside activities such as fish and duck catching. Visitors escaped urban hustle and bustle and embraced nature amid joyful interactive games, enjoying the fun of farming. Laughter echoed across farmlands with people of all ages having great fun, letting tourists experience genuine rural vitality alongside the ancient charm of the village.
(Translated by Yang Hong)