An ethnic song and dance gala celebrating the Sanyuesan Festival was held on April 19 in Dongchong Town, Nansha District, Guangzhou. The event showcased traditional Guangxi Sanyuesan customs, the Tanka water-town culture, and diverse ethnic art forms. Participants from the Han, Zhuang, Tujia, Tibetan and other ethnic groups came together for the celebration, highlighting ethnic unity and culture-tourism integration.
Sanyuesan, or the third day of the third lunar month, is a traditional festival of the Zhuang people and a national intangible cultural heritage item. Celebrations are held annually across regions, including Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian and Guizhou.
Dongchong Town is home to around 40 ethnic minority groups, including Zhuang, Yao, Miao, Tujia and Buyi, with a total ethnic minority population of about 13,000. The event blended the local "water town" landscape with the Tanka culture, presenting interactive antiphonal singing performances across both waterways and land.
In the water-based segment, nine themed boats carrying representatives from the Zhuang, Tujia and Tanka communities performed along the river, exchanging songs across the water as audiences watched from the riverbanks. Ten folk culture booths were also set up to offer an immersive cultural experience.
Reporters | Li Xindi, Zheng Guohao
Photo | Dongchong Town
