Performers dance at Mulao Yifan Festival. [Photo/gxnews.com.cn]

The Mulao Yifan Cultural Festival is held at the ethnic cultural square of Luocheng Mulao autonomous county in November every three years. Mulao bamboo balls, grass and dragon dances, grabbing zongba, as well as cat and lion dances are exhibited as Mulao ethnic cultural performances. Other activities include a shuttlecock competition, iron hooping, and xiuqiu throwing, a game that uses a special ball made of strips of silk, which were used for choosing husbands in ancient China. Organized by villages or clans, the festival is a major event for people of the Mulam ethnic group to celebrate good harvests, show gratitude, and pray for blessings.

The Mulao Yifan Cultural Festival was listed in the first collection of intangible cultural heritages under national protection in 2006.