Miao people consider a bull as a symbol of health, power, hard work and bravery, and the Bullfighting Festival epitomizes their fondness for bulls. The holding of bullfighting festival is not for fun, but to worship, show their love to buffalos, and present the inborn characteristics by letting the buffalos fight. There are two kinds of fighting bulls. One is farm cattle which usually goes farming and only fights in Bullfighting Festival; the others are “expert” buffalos which do not go to a farm but are trained to fight.
This festival is observed by the Miao people in the Kaiyang County of Yunnan province on the 25th day of the first lunar month. Legend has it that Kaiyang County once suffered a disastrous flood that wreaked havoc for a long time. It was stated that on the 25th day of the first lunar month two bulls fought with each other beside the inundated riverbank and as a result the flood subsided. Following this there was a bumpy harvest, an occurrence that seemed to confirm auspicious events that preceded it. Miao people hold bullfighting festivals on that date every year to show their gratitude toward buffalos.
