Torch Festival

'return of the stars')[1] is one of the main holidays of the Yi people of southwest China and is celebrated by other ethnic groups of the region (including the Bai, the Hani, the Lahu, the Naxi, and the Pumi) as well.

[5] Since 1993, the government of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan has sponsored a modernised celebration of the festival featuring wrestling, horse racing, dance shows, and a beauty contest.

There are also many other legends about the origin of the Torch Festival, yet all of them have the purpose of offering sacrifice to deities and dispelling ghosts, as a wish for a harvest.

[1] The custom of holding a torch to shed light on tree and field was found in Han people in Southern Song dynasty.

[1] It is customary to clean one's house, wear fine clothing, and hold sporting events including wrestling, horse races, and bullfights.