Lantian Yao Ethnic Culture Park

Lantian Yao Ethnic Culture Park

Lantian Yao Ethnic Township is located in the northwest of Lingchuan County, bordering Lingui to the west and Longsheng County to the north. The total land area is 116.15 square kilometers. It has 45 natural villages and a population of about 7,000.

Although the Lantian Yao people now speak Mandarin, they still retain many of their ethnic customs and worship the Cave Master. The most representative tradition is the “Fire Dog Dance.”

Legend has it that the Yao tribal chief lost his mother at a young age and was raised on his father’s dog’s milk. Therefore, dogs are considered to have the virtue of nurturing the Yao people, leading to the worship of the dog totem.

On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month each year, Lantian Township holds the Fire Dog Dance event village by village. On this day, unmarried young women from each village go up the mountain to cut vines and pick turmeric leaves. In the evening, the girls wear straw hats and adorn their arms, chests, waists, and legs with leafy skirts made of vines and turmeric leaves, with lit incense sticks inserted all over. They then line up according to height, pay respects to the Cave Master upon welcoming him back, perform songs and dances, and later go to the village stream to throw their ornaments and incense into the water, washing their hands and feet to symbolize the casting off of impurities. The young men set off firecrackers to cheer them on.

Finally, teams from each village engage in antiphonal singing with youths of the opposite sex from other villages to choose partners. The singers respond wittily and extemporaneously, continuing through the night.

The people of Lantian Township are simple, warm, and hospitable.

Address: Lantian Yao Ethnic Township, 15 km north of Longmen County, Huizhou City

Type: Folk Village

Recommended visiting time: 3–5 hours

Phone: 0752-7236833

Opening hours:

The scenic area is currently closed; reopening date is to be determined.

Ticket:

Ticket: 65 RMB