Yunnan raised the curtain on the combined 2016 Shilin international torch festival and the third love song festival on July 27.

The event is listed by the International Festivals & Events Association as a top-ten festival of China. Visitors from all over the world enjoy bullfighting, Yi ethnic group wrestling and sanxian dance. A Shilin colored jade festival and an innovative tourism product display are also on offer.

In the opening ceremony people of Yi ethnic group held a solemn traditional fire worship ritual, which was followed by songs and dances with unique characteristics of the Sani ethnic group performed by Shilin art troops.

As the three-meter high fire was set alight, the annual Shilin torch festival started. The bullfighting activity involved 178 buffalos wrestling, chasing and colliding with each another.

The Yi ethnic group's vivid dances and songs drew on the torch festival customs for their inspiration. When the dance and song “fire of the torch festival” ended at eight pm, the love song festival began.

Other folk songs were also performed on stage to the audience's enthusiasm.

The love song festival was ended with a classic song. The campfire carnival started with lighted campfires spread across the whole county. Over 100,000 people walked in the streets excitedly holding torches which symbolize good luck. The Naxi people in their traditional costumes performed a sanxian dance, passing on their positive attitude towards life to all of the people around them.

Edited by Peter Nordinger