1. Lahu's Calabash Festival

Dates: From 15th to 17th day of 10th lunar month

Location: Lancang

Lancang Lahu Autonomous County in Pu'er is the only Lahu autonomous county in the country. The Lahu nationality has many festivals including the Spring Festival, the Torch Festival, the New Rice Festival, the Kana Festival etc. There is also the Calabash Festival, which is the most representative and typical one, boasting unique cultural charm.

The Calabash Festival, known as "A-Peng-A-Long-Ni" in Lahu language, is held on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month and is the grandest festival in Lancang's Lahu nationality.

On this day, every village holds a carnival with singing and dancing. Men play the calabash sompoton to lead the dance, with everyone taking up "Gak" dance and women beating the elephant-foot drum and taking up the waggle dance. Folk songs are also enjoyed, along with sports and game performances like water bearing crossbow shooting.

Older residents sit around the firepit, drink and chant the epic "Mu-Pa-Mi-Pa". Right in the centre of the dancing ground, a pair of calabash will be put there as a symbol of the Lahu ancestors, and everyone expresses respect for it, to keep in mind the grace they obtained from their ancestors.

2. Pu'er Tea Festival

Dates: Generally in April  

Location: Simao

Since the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Periods, Pu'er tea has been listed as a national drink. Nowadays Pu'er tea is developing rapidly as a popular drink and a carrier of Chinese traditional culture.

Pu'er tea has a history of several thousands of years. The establishment of the "Chinese Tea Festival" has two purposes: one is to protect and carry forward the Chinese tea culture, the other is to introduce Pu'er to the world! 　　

The Chinese Pu'er Tea Festival has been held for 18 years, and during its development course, the China Tea Festival has become an international, open, event in the tea industry, which has played a positive role in carrying forward the Pu'er tea culture.

It also promotes its popularity and recognition, the rapid development of the Pu'er tea industry, and the harmonious development of economic societies in ethnic regions along the border area.

The rise of the China Pu'er Tea Festival drives the economic development of Pu'er tea, and makes it even more popular. In the past in China, Pu'er Tea Festival events, countless tea enterprises and ethnic tourism commodity enterprises in Yunnan province repeatedly participated in the Pu'er tea trade fair, clothing, accessories and tourism product sales activities, with total sales amounting to hundreds of millions of yuan, which realised the organic combination of the ethnic culture, the tea industry and the tourism industry. 　　

The China Pu'er Tea Festival has promoted the communication of Pu'er culture to a large extent and has enriched the cultural connotations of the tea.

With the Festival as a platform, Pu'er tea wins a wide range of recognition from consumers and has become a world-famous drink. At the same time, Pu'er tea walks through the eras of "agricultural Pu'er tea" and "cultural Pu'er tea" into the era of "scientific Pu'er tea". 　　

The China Pu'er Tea Festival, with aims of "scientific Pu'er tea, healthy life", themed as "the world of tea source, China tea city, Pu'er tea capital", will comprehensively and systematically demonstrate the development course of "agricultural Pu'er tea, cultural Pu'er tea, scientific Pu'er tea, humane Pu'er tea" and colourful original primitive culture.

It concentrates on the promotion of innovative products of scientific Pu'er tea projects and non-material cultural heritage, promotes and releases Pu'er tea scientific research and innovation achievements by vigorously promoting the "ecological, harmonious, charming" Pu'er tea, demonstrating the scientific research achievements of Pu'er tea, carrying forward the Pu'er tea culture and ethnic tourism culture and promoting Pu'er tea to the world. 　

3. Ning'er County Tea-Horse Road Festival

Dates: October

Location: Ning'er

The Tea-Horse Road Festival is conducive to inheriting and carrying forward historical culture.

Ning'er is the core source area of and distribution centre for the world famous "Pu'er tea", the "seat of government for ancient Pu'er", the origin of the Tea-Horse Road.

The industrious and intelligent ancients of Ning'er, after a long period of planting, cultivating and processing tea trees on the land of Ning'er for thousands of years, has explored the unique Pu'er tea processing technology, which formed the historical brand of Pu'er tea being famous both domestically and abroad.

To race to the source, the root of Pu'er tea lies in Ning'er, thus the root of Pu'er tea culture also lies in Ning'er.

Pu'er tea is named after the seat of the Pu'er government and has spread and become world-famous through the Tea-Horse Road.

Pu'er tea, which originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty, entered trade in the Tang Dynasty, became popular in the Song Dynasty, was stereotyped in the Ming Dynasty, and prospered in the Qing Dynasty.

Over 300 years ago, the seat of the Pu'er government became a tribute tea under an imperial edict, then became "famous in the capital".

As Pu'er tea became a tribute tea and for the sake of foreign trade, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, five "Tea-Horse Roads" were opened, starting from Ning'er to domestic and foreign destinations, which connected Ning'er with the world.

For hundreds and thousands of years, it carried a strong Pu'er tea culture and ethnic culture. To this end, vigorously promoting the Pu'er tea culture, carrying forward the spirit of Tea-Horse Road, is the desire of all ethnic groups in Ning'er.

4. Jiangcheng Parcel-Throwing Festival

Dates: October

Location: Jiangcheng

Sachet is a decoration for girls,they made this little sachet from various cloths, and inside they put grass seed, tree seed, grain and spice, sew with silk thread and lace. And then they create a long silk thread seam at one corner of the sachet for hanging it on the body. When a sachet passes you, you will smell the fragrance of mountains and plains.

With a blend of various ethnic nationalities, the parcels get enriched both in style and connotation. You can see them in diamond, circular, heart shape etc. And they attract names such as purse, sachet or embroidered bag etc. With their exquisite embroidery craft, they are also a faith token between lovers.

Especially for Yi people who live in Jiangcheng, on the second, 15th and 16th days of the first lunar month, single people in the Yi community will gather on the parcel-throwing spot. Young men hope to catch the parcel thrown by the young lady they like. And vice-versa, with the women hoping the men they like will catch their parcels.

"First throw for the girl to see the guy, second throw for the guy to see the girl, third throw for the girl to show her choice, fourth throw for the guy to show his choice, fifth throw for the girl to make decision, sixth throw for the guy to make decision, seventh and eighth throws for the two to become a couple, ninth and tenth throws for the two to accompany each other." Parcels will be thrown back and forth, and couples will be made by the parcels' course.

5. China · Mojiang River Tropic of Cancer International Twin Festival

Dates: May

Location: Mojiang River

Twins from all over the world come together at Mojiang River, Yunnan, every May, to experience the local folk culture and the ethnic customs, to have a glimpse of the battle of twins, to enjoy the "Mohei" carnival of Hani nationality, to taste the local culinary feast, and to encounter the ecological paradise of Mojiang River.