Ethnic Qiang people celebrate the Qiang New Year in the Ancient Chinese Castle of Erma in Maoxian county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, in Sichuan province on Friday. Jiang Zuquan for China Daily
The 2024 Qiang New Year celebration was held in Maoxian county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, in Sichuan province on Friday.
The ethnic Qiang people of Maoxian, Wenchuan, Lixian, Songpan and Heishui in Aba as well as those from Beichuan Qiang autonomous county and Pingwu county in the city of Mianyang, Sichuan, gathered in Maoxian to celebrate their most important festival with singing and dancing and a banquet with over 1,000 people on a square in the Ancient Chinese Castle of Erma in Maoxian.
In 2008, the Qiang New Year festival was included in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative items, and in 2009, it was included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding by the UNESCO.
Aba, which has strong Tibetan and Qiang customs and world-class scenic spots including Jiuzhaigou, a scenic area on the UNESCO World Heritage list, is building itself into an international eco-cultural tourism destination, said Zhao Shouchun, head of the prefecture's bureau of culture, radio, television, sports and tourism, in a press conference right before the Qiang New Year celebration.
Ethnic Qiang people celebrate the Qiang New Year in the street in Maoxian county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province, on Friday. Meng Jiaqiao for China Daily
Ethnic Qiang people celebrate the Qiang New Year with a banquet of over 1,000 diners on a square in the Ancient Chinese Castle of Erma in Maoxian county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, in Sichuan province on Friday. Meng Jiaqiao for China Daily
Ethnic Qiang children celebrate the Qiang New Year in a banquet of over 1,000 diners on a square in the Ancient Chinese Castle of Erma in Maoxian county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, in Sichuan province on Friday. Meng Jiaqiao for China Daily
Nuorilang Waterfall in Jiuzhaigou, a scenic area on the UNESCO World Heritage list, in Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province. The prefecture is building itself into an international eco-cultural tourism destination. Huang Zhiling/China Daily
