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    Knife-Pole Festival of Lisu People

    Written by: Wei Liming
    Posted on: July 05, 2015 |

    Knife-Pole Festival of Lisu

    The Lisu people, with a population of about 634,900, mainly live in concentrated communities in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. There are also small groups of Lisu people scattered in Sichuan Province.

    According to the historical records, the ancestors of the Lisu once lived along the banks of Jinsha River and Yalong River. Between the 15th and 19th century, they gradually migrated to the drainage areas of the Nu River and Lancang River. The Lisu people have their own language, which is a branch of Tibeto-Burman language group.

    Knife-Pole Festival of Lisu People

    Knife-Pole Festival of Lisu is the most breathtaking minority festival

    The Lisu people are mainly engaged in farming for subsistence. Hunting also plays an important role in their living. The Lisu people are well known for their hospitality and unique etiquette.

    The annual Knife-Pole Festival on the eighth of the second lunar month features a physical contest with a history dating back to hundreds of years. The festival is held to remember a Han hero, Wang Ji, a minister of War during the Ming Dynasty. He was sent by the Ming government to drive away other ethnic people that intruded into the Lisu area. On eighth February of the Lunar Year, Wang Ji was killed by traitors on his way back to Beijing, the then capital of the Ming Dynasty.

    The Knife-Pole Festival then became the exclusive and traditional festival of the Lisu people. On this day, people dress up flock to watch various activities including "Climbing Knife Pole" and "Diving into Fire Sea."

    The performers of Knife-Pole jump and dance over burned coal bare-feet and half-naked, imitating the behavior of animals. They even brush some coal over their body and rub coal balls on their hands. The "fire wash" is meant to fend off all the possible disasters and troubles in the coming new year.

    Other performers put on red clothes and turbans to stride up to a 20 meters long knife ladder that was tied with 36 knives. After kneeling down in front of a portrait of Wang Ji and drinking a bowl of wine prepared for them, they begin to climb the knife ladder. The first one to reach the top is hailed and applauded with firecrackers. Surprisingly, these men return to the group safe and round, without even the slightest scratches.

    This special and exciting memorial ceremony has been officially designated as the traditional festival for the Lisu people.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021