The Tujia ethnic group commemorates their ancestors and prays for blessings at the Hand-waving Festival, which has been listed as one of the first batch of intangible cultural heritage items in Hunan Province and has been honored as the “most distinctive ethnic festival in China” by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission.
After the opening ceremony, the seven major themed activities were launched to showcase the beautiful mountains and waters, brilliant culture, and passionate spirit of Longshan County, making people unforgettable.
In the ancient village of Rebala, Tujia folk activities drew the interests of guests. They could also visit ancient oil-pressing workshops, blacksmith shops, Tujia brocade workshops, etc. Some of them experienced the labor pleasure of pressing oil, striking the iron and weaving brocade.
Four major tourism products and two boutique tourist routes of Longshan County were introduced to the representatives of the cultural tourism industry throughout the country, and more than 40 key cultural tourism investment projects were signed, involving the development and construction of hotels and scenic areas, as well as the strategic cooperation on Red cultural tourism of the Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Revolutionary Base.
As night fell, torches lit up. Tujia people from 20 counties and cities meticulously arranged 6 themed programs. Guests were immersed in the performances of songs and dances, and spent a passionate and charming night at the Hand-waving Festival.
In addition, activities around high-quality tourist routes selection, advantageous agricultural industries, characteristic agricultural products, food markets, traditional ethnic and folk sports, and photo exhibitions about Longshan County also attracted a great number of tourists and guests.
