The 576,000 Lisu people live in Fugong, Gongshan, Lushi, and Lanping counties of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, and in Weixi County of Diqing Prefecture.
Heshi, or the “New Year Festival”, is the most important Lisu festival. The setup time for this festival differs from place to place, but usually it is celebrated sometime between the fifth day of the 12th lunar month and the tenth day of the 1st lunar month. During the festival, villagers join in antiphonal singing, “Guozhuang” dance and bow-shooting contest held on the village square. And of course, the festival is a great time for the courting young people.
Daoganjie (the Broadsword Pole Festival) on the eighth day of the second lunar month is a most thrilling Lisu festival. In celebration of this festival, two wooden poles of more than 20 meters are erected in the center of a burning fire, on an open ground. Thirty-six broadswords sharpened to shine are tied to the poles. The sharp blades facing the sun function as rungs of the ladders (the poles), three of which are scissors-shaped.
Eight Lisu “Xiangtongs” climb up the Daoshan (Broadsword Mountain) barefooted. In the ancient times, the Lisu believed that only men of integrity could come out the test unhurt. Nowadays, it is more of the festive fun for the crowds and unsurpassed pride on the part of the brave Lisu men.
When the Xiangtongs reach the top of the Daoshan, they light up firecrackers they pull from their waist belts. The clapping hands of the crowds and cracking firecrackers mingle to celebrate the stunning feat of the Lisu men who, in the hail of the crowds, climb down the ladders, every step on the sharp blade.
When the flames of the fire ground surge up two meters high, the Xiangtongs jump into it. They dash in and out the fire many times, chaining themselves with blazing irons picked up from the sea of fire, and rubbing their faces with blazing charcoal.
