Shaobaichai Festival of Achang Ethnic Minority

Chinese Name:阿昌族进洼节/开门节
English Name:  Shaobaichai Festival of Achang Ethnic Minority

“Jinwa Festival” is a Chinese translation of the De’ang language, which means “Closing the Door Festival”. It is a festival celebrated by the Dai and De’ang ethnic groups in Yunnan Province, China, every year on the 15th day of the 9th month of the Dai calendar, lasting for three months. On the 14th day, early in the morning, young girls carry clean water to the Buddhist temple to bathe the Buddha. At midnight, the “Jinwa” begins, as the sound of drums is heard from the temple. Elders bring offerings such as incense, candles, rice, and flowers to the back of the Buddha’s statue to deposit them.

On the 15th day, a ceremony called “Danfo” is held, during which people offer food, flowers, and money to the Buddha, light incense and candles, and burn money and paper. From this day on, a small “Danfo” is held every seven days. On the eighth day of each household, food and drinks are brought to the Buddhist temple for sacrifice, and people listen to the Buddha’s lectures and pray for God’s blessing. In addition to being rich in religious significance, the Jinwa Festival is also held during the busy farming season to enable people to concentrate on productive labor. Therefore, marriage and love are prohibited during this period, and Buddhist monks and young monks are not allowed to stay in other villages.