Holy Mountain Festival of Naxi Ethnic Group

Date: The 25th day of the eight lunar month.
Place: In Yongning Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan province.

This festival is the grandest of the grandest for the Naxi people living in Yongnin Prefecture.** On the eastern shore of Lugu Lake in Yongnin Prefecture lies Lion Mountain, also called Gemu Mountian by the local Naxi, since legend has it that this mountain is the physical transformation in this world of the Dongba mythological goddess Gemu.

The goddess Gemu, according to Dongba mythology, ensures happiness for her people, providing them with cattle and livestock in abundance, and with a cornucopia of crops to harvest. Accordingly, on the 15th of July each year, the Naxi gather at the foot of Gemu Mountain to worship the goddess. They dress up, then gather together at the foot of the mountain to burn incense and offer meat, wine and fruit as a sacrifice to the goddess. On this occasion a kowtow to the goddess is required, and the Lama chants scriptures. Afterwards, ritual components follow such as singing in antiphonal style, dancing, horse racing, bow-&-arrow shooting – and even swinging, as it is held to make people happy.