The launch ceremony of the 28th Hunan (Nanshan) Liuyueliu Folk Song Festival and the "Red Pomegranates in Hunan, United for Development" Joyful Chengbu Tour were launched with an evening gala on the evening of July 19 in Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, Hunan Province. The event delved deeply into local folk customs, folk song culture, and ethnic traditions, using songs as a medium to bring people together and offering visitors an immersive feast of ethnic culture.

The art performance of the 28th Hunan (Nanshan) Liuyueliu Folk Song Festival. (Photo/Liu Fuhong)

The Hunan (Nanshan) Liuyueliu Folk Song Festival is one of the four major folk festival brands in Hunan Province, winning honors such as the "China Outstanding Contemporary Festival Award" and the "China Festival Event Excellence Brand Award." The festival was also listed among the fourth batch of National Public Cultural Service System Demonstration Projects. Thanks to the festival, Chengbu has been ranked among the National Ethnic Unity and Progress Demonstration Counties, National Best Eco-Tourism Counties, China's Top 100 Most Influential Cultural Tourism Counties, and the Hometown of Chinese Folk Songs. 

Using songs as a medium to bring people together, Chengbu presents an ethnic cultural feast for visitors. (Photo/Yang Yuanzhi)

Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, the evening gala was themed "Red Pomegranate in Hunan, United for Development" and "Singing Folk Songs All the Way to Nanshan." The event integrated Chengbu's intangible cultural heritage skills, scenic landscapes, and the theme of ethnic unity. The opening show "Treading Songs," the folk song rap show "New Charm of Miao Mountains," the scene-singing show "Lila Yao  ·  Marrying off a Daughter," the intangible cultural heritage poetry and painting show "Preserving Craftsmanship," the folk dance "Teasing the Tiger," and the ethnic fashion show "Blooming with Every Step" took the stage successively. The gala concluded with the multi-ethnic song and dance performances "Beautiful Miao Village" and "I Love China."

In addition to the launch ceremony and art performances, this festival also featured activities such as the 'Red Pomegranate' Ethnic Folk Song Public Show, the "Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation" Lecture Hall, the Ethnic Specialty Market, the Nanshan Retreat Camp, and folk customs experiential activities. These created an accessible, shared platform for folk song culture, inherited ethnic culture, showcased ethnic customs, and promoted the deep integration of culture and tourism.

The natural scenery of Nanshan Grassland in Chengbu Miao Autonomous County. (Photo provided by the Publicity Department of the CPC Committee of Chengbu Miao Autonomous County)

In recent years, Chengbu has adhered to the principle of using festivals as a bridge, culture as a stage, and economy and trade as the main focus, continuously holding the Liuyueliu Folk Song Festival, and striving to promote the deep integration of culture and tourism. This has injected strong momentum into accelerating the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy and promoting high-quality economic and social development. In 2025, the county received 6.3605 million tourist visits, achieving a comprehensive tourism revenue of 6.33 billion yuan, up 6.73% and 5.67% respectively.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews