Event held to celebrate ‘hundred-bird dress’ festival in S China’s Guangxi [Reuters]
The traditional “hundred-bird dress” festival was held on Tuesday in Gandong Township of Rongshui Miao Autonomous County in Liuzhou City, located in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
People from various ethnic groups donned festive attire to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Women wore traditional Miao costumes adorned with silver headdresses, while men performed on the lusheng, a reed-pipe wind instrument, as participants sang and danced together.
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The “hundred-bird dress,” crafted from bird feathers, is regarded by the local Miao community as a symbol of good fortune.
The centuries-old celebration is part of the cultural heritage of the Miao ethnic minority, one of China’s recognised ethnic groups, and is typically held during the Lunar New Year period.
The festival centres on the ornate “hundred-bird dress” — traditionally handcrafted with colourful embroidery and feather-like patterns — which symbolises happiness, prosperity and harmony with nature in Miao folklore.
Rongshui Miao Autonomous County in Guangxi is known for preserving Miao traditions, with similar folk events drawing visitors each year.
Cultural officials say such festivals play an important role in safeguarding intangible heritage while also boosting local tourism and rural incomes, as performances of lusheng music, traditional dances and costume displays attract both domestic and international tourists.
