Dongtou "February 2" Fireworks Festival

Guangxi
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The "February 2" Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival in Dongtou is the grandest traditional festival for the people of Dongtou. It is held in Dongtou Township, Rongshui on the second day of the second lunar month every year. This festival has a long history, and it is impossible to verify when it started. According to the recollections of two elderly people in their eighties in Dongtou, more than 70 years ago, in order to prosper the economy and facilitate water transportation, the people of Dongtou founded the Baigong Association and built the Baigong Temple, and at the same time established the "February 2" Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival. When the two elderly people were in their teens, they watched the firecrackers grabbing in the place where Jiefangtun is now. Later, warlords fought in chaos, the government levied heavy taxes, and the people were living in poverty, and the Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival was stopped invisibly. After liberation, under the glorious illumination of the Party's ethnic policy, the lives of the people of Dongtou have been greatly improved, and they have demanded the restoration of the Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival to enrich their cultural life and strengthen the close relationship between the people of Guizhou and Guangxi. In 1986, with the support of relevant departments, the Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival was restored. The event venue is set on the sand flats on both sides of the river beach in Dongtou Village. The Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival lasts for three consecutive days, with rich and colorful content. On the day of the festival, people gathered from all directions to the event site, waiting for the event to begin. At twelve o'clock, the lion led the way, followed by twelve young men, divided into three groups, carrying three colorfully dressed firecrackers. Each firecracker was equipped with a pig's head, a pig's tail, and a piece of pork. Surrounded by village cadres and a festival celebration team composed of young men and women in costumes, they set off from the village to the surrounding villages to celebrate the festival. Along the way, gongs and drums were beaten and firecrackers were set off. At the same time, Lusheng stepping and material exchanges were carried out on the river beach. When the festival celebration team returned to the main venue, the Firecracker Festival officially began. First, there was a lion dance performance, followed by Lusheng and Karo dance performances, and horse fighting, bird fighting, and horse racing. After these activities came to an end, the most exciting program of grabbing firecrackers began. People rushed to the rostrum like a tide and surrounded an open space of dozens of square meters as a place to grab firecrackers. There are three levels of firecrackers: first, second and third. After three attempts, the winner returns to the village happily carrying the beautiful firecracker heads and prizes. (No pictures available, please provide them.)

Intangible culture related to the heritage

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