Chabai Song Festival, a memorial festival of the Bouyei ethnic group, was celebrated in Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, Guizhou province, on July 14. 

Held from the 21st to 23rd of every sixth lunar month, this year's festival attracted more than 10,000 visitors from many other ethnic groups from neighboring Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Yunnan province.

Some 10,000 people from other ethnic groups joined the celebration of this year's Chabai Song Festival held on July 14. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The festival dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is celebrated in remembrance of two young lovers named Chalang and Baimei, in their fight against a local tyrant and landlord of the village. The story has a tragic end culminating in the death of the two lovers. 

To commemorate them, the local people changed their village's name to Chabai with first two characters taken from the names of the two lovers. Locals honor them by gathering at the center of the village to sing folk songs.

People gather at the center of Chabai village, Xingyi city in Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, to sing folk songs during the Chabai Song Festival. [Photo/Guiyang Evening Post]

After the traditional ceremony took root, it eventually became a festival. Included in the celebration are song competitions, antiphonal singing of folk songs, and visiting friends and relatives. 

The Chabai Song Festival was even listed among the first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritages in 2006. 

Bouyei people play traditional instruments at the ceremony of Chabai Song Festival.  [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]