Xiangxi folk custom

The Miao people living in Jishou maintain many traditional customs. Besides festivals with the Han nationality, there are also annual festivals, such as March 3rd, April 8th, June 6th, Miao Year, Bullfighting Festival, Sisterhood Festival, Eating Year Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. March 3, also known as Ju Ming Ge Hui, is held on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar. Miao men and women will sing in the wild and exchange agricultural and sideline products. The activities on April 8 mainly include "eating pigs", climbing the knife ladder, singing Miao songs and singing duets. The Mid-Autumn Festival is held at the beginning of autumn, which is an activity to celebrate the harvest.

Miao people have many sacrificial activities, the purpose of which is to pray for the gods. The main ceremonies are "Solitaire", "Dancing Cow" and "Jumping Incense".

Solitaire "Solitaire" is a sacrificial activity to pray for the prosperity of hometown. After the autumn harvest every year, the Miao family will set up an altar by the well and the river, insert colorful flags to place sacrifices, and pray for the dragon to bless the good weather in the coming year. The number of participants can reach thousands and the atmosphere is warm.

Incense dance is held in October of the lunar calendar every year, mainly to worship the god of grains. While dancing, people light incense, sprinkle rice, millet, wheat, beans and other grains, invite the grain god to enjoy the harvest fruit, and thank him for his blessing.

Zhu Niu is an ancestor worship activity, and it is also held after autumn to express reverence and nostalgia for ancestors.