Midu Huadeng Paper Figures
弥渡花灯纸扎
The elaborate paper figures made for the Lantern Festival in Mizhi 密祉 are part of Yunnan's Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Yi Caobing
彝族操兵
Every year, on the 26th day of the 6th lunar month, the Yi in Fuchang 副长 village of northern Midu 弥渡 county conduct a ritual martial play called 操兵, meaning 'military drill', that commemorates soldiers going out to war in the Qing dynasty.
Mizhi Huadeng
密祉花灯节
Big, bold and boisterous: once a year the Huadeng Festival 花灯节 turns sleepy Mizhi密祉 into a giant carnival.
Midu Huadeng
弥渡花灯
Huadeng is a form of Yunnan Opera: musical plays most often performed during the spring festival. Midu county, south of Dali, is one of the centers of this art form and its recognition as intangible heritage has led to increased interest and innovation in recent years. The photos here are from the Midu Huadeng Festival Week in October 2012.