Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Lisu: The Knife-Pole Festival
by Yan Xiangjun, He Xu
This book mainly describes the origin of the Lisu Knife-Pole Festival. February 8th of the lunar calendar is an important day for the Lisu people to celebrate the Knife-Pole Festival. Regarding the origin of the Knife-Pole Festival, there is a legendary story of a hero Wang Ji circulating in the Lisu tribe. According to legend, Wang Ji was a rare talent at the time who was proficient in the art of war, was courageous and strategic, and cared about the people. At that time, other ethnic groups often invaded the border of Yunnan, and the Lisu people living there were unable to resist. Wang Ji led the defence and defeated intruders with the assistance of the Lisu people. In order to commemorate the hero Wang Ji, the Lisu people named the day when Wang Ji was dead — February 8th as the “Knife-Pole Festival”.