The Zhuang ethnic group in Gulan village, Nandan county, Hechi city hosted a variety of celebrations on April 9 to mark both Sanyuesan Festival and Niuhun (the soul of the cattle) Festival.

Residents performed celebratory folklore-based programs with regional characteristics.

Residents in Gulan village gather together to celebrate Niuhun Festival.[Photo/Hechi Daily]

Niuhun Festival celebrations this year are themed around rural eco-tourism development, with local scenery, the ecological environment and culture promoted to drive tourism development and economic growth.

The Niuhun Festival of the Zhuang ethnic group is an event based on gratitude for, and worship of, cattle, and expresses the Zhuang people’s wishes for good weather and abundant grain.

The festival is an important part of the Nandan Zhuang ethnic group's traditional culture. It was selected as one of the representative projects of the intangible cultural heritage of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in December 2018.

Wang Wenfu, inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage project of Niuhun Festival in Gulan village, poses for a photo with a cattle sculpture. [Photo/HechiDaily]