On June 27, celebrations for the 2023 Maonan Fenlong Festival kicked off in the Maonan Ethnic Culture Park, Xianan town, Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county. More than 20,000 locals and tourists gathered to celebrate the festival.

The Fenlong Festival is a traditional festival for the Maonan ethnic group, and it originated from an old prayer custom to wish for a good harvest. It is now a major annual event for the Maonan people, and usually takes place in the fifth month of the lunar calendar each year.

The opening ceremony is full of Maonan characteristics. Folk cultural activities and performances were shown, including "the dragons supplying rain",  a dragon dance that wishing for favorable weather. It also staged splendid lion and dragon dance performances, profound intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, and melodious folk song concerts.

At the event, tourists were able to watch calligraphy and painting exhibitions. They also got to watch the Maonan ethnic group's traditional sports competitions, gaining better insight into authentic Maonan folk customs.

As the birthplace of the Maonan ethnic group, Xianan town is the place with the richest Maonan cultural atmosphere. By utilizing and inheriting traditional folk culture, this year's Fenlong Festival aims to promote the development of ethnic culture-focused tourism.

A lion dance performance at the opening ceremony of the Maonan Fenlong Festival. [Photo provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/hechi]

An overview of the Maonan Ethnic Culture Park in Xianan town. [Photo provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/hechi]

On June 27, locals and tourists watch the "dragons supplying rain" folk custom performance at the Maonan Ethnic Culture Park. [Photo provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/hechi]