On January 13, a grand banquet attended by over 300 villagers was held in Zhangwan Village of Hangsha Township of Baojing County in Western Hunan. As the local tradition of butchering pigs began, the whole village was filled with cheers and laughter of villagers who worked hard in the past year.
It is learned that Zhangwan Village, the furthest administrative village in Hangsha Township, houses 122 households of more than 480 residents, of which 100 residents working in other places. Most of residents in this village are Miao people. The Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau of Baojing County invested 140,000 yuan to provide running water for each family, harden 2,300 meters of roads, build a tea garden with 200 mu (13 hectares) and a seeding base with 10 mu (0.67 hectares) and organize a Miao drum team.
Now most Miao people choose to celebrate the New Year in lunar January, except those living in southeast of Guizhou and some parts of Guangxi and Hunan. Miao people in these areas follow the tradition to celebrate the New Year in October, November and December. Besides worshiping ancestors and enjoying a banquet, Miao people hold other grand activities to embrace the New Year, such as offering sacrifice to Dragon Spring and the God of Farmland and dancing to the Lusheng music.
Translator: Xiao Juan
Source: Hunan Official Web Portal