S China's Jing ethnic group celebrates traditional Ha Festival

People of the Jing ethnic group celebrated their traditional Ha Festival in Wanwei village, Jiangping township, Dongxing city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on July 14.

People of the Jing ethnic group celebrate their traditional Ha Festival in Wanwei village, Jiangping township, Dongxing city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Huang Jinxin)

Colorful flags fluttered, and drums resounded on the morning of the day. The Jing people, dressed in traditional costumes, gathered at the seaside to welcome the “Sea God” back, praying for a bumper harvest, success and good health.

The Jing people played duxianqin, a Chinese plucked string instrument with only one string, and demonstrated their traditional fishing activities to tourists, enabling them to discover the charm of the Jing people’s intangible cultural heritage.

People of the Jing ethnic group celebrate their traditional Ha Festival in Wanwei village, Jiangping township, Dongxing city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Su Shiyu)

The Jing ethnic group is the only seafaring ethnic group in China, mainly residing on the Shanxin, Wanwei, and Wutou islands under the jurisdiction of Dongxing city.

The Ha Festival is the grandest traditional festival of the Jing ethnic group, and was included in the first batch of China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.

People of the Jing ethnic group play duxianqin, a Chinese plucked string instrument with only one string, during their traditional Ha Festival in Wanwei village, Jiangping township, Dongxing city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Su Shiyu)

A performer of the Jing ethnic group demonstrates a traditional fishing activity during the Ha Festival in Wanwei village, Jiangping township, Dongxing city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Fang Ping)