Once Every 13 Years: Witnessing the Spectacle of the Leishan Miao New Year and Drum Festiva

#chinatrip #guizhoutrip #leishan Our encounter with the 2024 Leishan Miao New Year and Drum Festival was completely unexpected—and what a rare event to stumble upon! The Drum Festival happens only once every 13 years, and just days before heading to Guizhou, we saw news of this grand celebration. Without hesitation, we changed our plans, joining a two-day local tour to experience it firsthand. Accommodation and transport in Leishan were challenging to secure due to the influx of visitors, but we managed to arrive by 10 a.m., avoiding the inevitable traffic jam. We spent the morning wandering through the streets of Leishan, exploring the bustling market stalls, before gearing up for the festivities. At 1 p.m., the grand parade began, showcasing a dazzling array of Guizhou’s minority ethnic groups in their vibrant traditional attire. By 2 p.m., we had already lined up to enter the Leishan Square for the main event, and it was almost packed by the time we found seats. The Miao New Year, an annual celebration of the Miao people and a UNESCO-recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage, coincided with the Drum Festival, the Miao's most sacred ancestor worship ceremony, held once every 13 years. This rare convergence of two national cultural treasures made it an unforgettable experience. The parade was nothing short of spectacular, with performances that left us awestruck—melodious Dong Grand Songs, the soulful voices of Miao singers, and the powerful rhythms of wooden drum dances. The rituals were deeply meaningful: the *Ji Gu* ceremony, where clan elders dressed in their finest led the sacred drum worship, followed by vibrant celebrations with copper drum and reed-pipe dances to mark past harvests and pray for future prosperity. Guests were welcomed with the Twelve Obstacle Rice Wine, a grand hospitality ritual where Miao youth in festive attire offered wine to visitors with warm blessings. Even the “Entering Guests and Lifting the Pig Leg” ritual—a gesture of mutual respect with gifts and symbolic offerings—highlighted the cultural depth of the event. This once-in-a-lifetime celebration, blending history, heritage, and stunning artistry, was a feast for the senses and a vivid reminder of Guizhou’s rich cultural tapestry.