On the morning of July 19, the opening ceremony of a series of cultural and tourism events for the 2026 Puge County Yi Torch Festival was held at the Torch Square in Puge County. As the "first stop" among 98 distinctive cultural and tourism events scheduled across Liangshan Prefecture for the 2026 Yi Torch Festival, Puge officially kicked off this year's celebrations with the warm hospitality characteristic of its identity as the "Sacred Land of the Torch, Hometown of the Adu People, and Land of Hot Springs".

As the grandest traditional festival of the Yi ethnic group, the Puge Torch Festival has fully preserved its original folk customs to this day. At approximately 10 a.m., the auspicious fire, kindled in Ridudisa Town of Puge County, was ceremoniously brought to the Torch Square.

Situated on an alpine meadow at an altitude of 3,200 meters, Ridudisa is recognized as the core origin of the Yi Adu culture. On January 11 this year, Puge County was officially certified with the title "China Puge Ridudisa: Birthplace of the Torch Festival".

During the opening ceremony, a revered Bimo priest entered slowly while holding the sacred flame, chanting scriptures and offering prayers. Subsequently, 600 performers of the Duolehe dance gracefully took the stage, showcasing the unique charm of Yi culture. The artistic performance commenced as the sacred fire rose high, creating a vibrant scene where the millennia-old fire culture and contemporary spirit complemented each other amidst singing and dancing.

"The Torch Festival is a significant holiday for our Yi people. Since it coincides with the children's summer vacation, our whole family has brought the kids to join in," said Azhi, a local resident at the scene. The event also attracted visitors from various regions. Su Min, a tourist from Chongqing, told reporters that this was her second time attending the Torch Festival in Puge. She noted that she had brought two friends along this year and had deeply experienced the rich ethnic atmosphere.

It is reported that from now until July 21, Puge County will successively host a series of events, including the Torch Carnival Night, horse racing, ram fighting, wrestling, and other traditional folk competitions. As the place where the "first torch" of the 2026 Liangshan Yi Torch Festival was lit, Puge is embracing guests from all corners with its utmost passion to partake in this millennium-old Oriental carnival.

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