InKunming--Yunnan] Yuxi Rice Noodle Culture Festival is one of the most popular festivals in Yunnan. According to archives, it dates back to ancient times and has a history of over 700 years since Yuan Dynasty, hence, it is also recognized as “the longest festival in the world” by the World Records Association on March 5, 2011. 

For Yunnan people, rice noodles are the most common staple food. That is why they hold the festival. They celebrate it from the first day of the first lunar month to the third month every year, a total of 81 days.People gather together to greet the earth master and pray for a harvest. The 81-day festival is not only a carnival of foodies, but also a cultural inheritance and nostalgia that cannot be forgotten.

This year’s festival will be held from February 5 to April 26. The opening ceremony will be celebrated at the main venue, Dayingjie road, Yuxi, on February 6. Other performance and activities, such as folk culture exhibition and sacrificial ceremony, will be staged at that time.

It is worth mentioning that the venue, Laowu street, where to hold Rice Noodle Festival from March 10 to 15, will be rebuilt after the festival since the buildings are too old to use. In other words, this is the last Rice Noodle Festival for the old street which has a strong cultural background and business atmosphere.

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(Editors: Christine, Rachel)