2026 Leishan Miao New Year Celebrations Begin

The 2026 Leishan Miao New Year celebrations opened with intangible cultural heritage performances on the afternoon of November 12 in Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province. The event also served as the Leishan showcase for the winter edition of the 2026 national "Four Seasons Village Gala" program.

Unlike previous years, when parade groups were organized around themes of silver-adorned traditional dress, this year's groups were arranged for the first time according to four classic Miao song categories: children's songs, ancient songs, flying songs, and love songs. Fifteen national-level intangible cultural heritage items from Leishan County were showcased in succession through live performances and demonstrations. A procession of about 10,000 people turned the entire parade route into a moving showcase of intangible cultural heritage.

The event aimed to develop a comprehensive portfolio of brands integrating culture, tourism, and sports in Leishan County and strengthen the preservation and transmission of the county's ethnic culture. The parade of about 10,000 people and the living heritage performances not only made the fine traditional culture of the Miao people visible and tangible but also injected new vitality into Leishan's integrated development of culture, tourism, and sports and into rural revitalization.

The opening ceremony. Photo by Yang Zhanling

The parade. Photo by Yang Zhanling

A tourist takes part in a distinctive Miao toasting ceremony. Photo by Yang Zhanling