Celebrated around the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, the thousand-year-old Torch Festival has kicked off across Yunnan Province in southwest China.

Observed by the Yi, Bai and other ethnic groups to pray for good harvests and ward off misfortune, the festival is widely known as the "Oriental Carnival" and is among China's first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage items.

Traditional Yi rituals, such as fire-drilling ceremonies, sacred torch parades and mass long-street banquets, are staged alongside vibrant nighttime events, including music festivals, drone light shows and large-scale folk dance parties. Visitors from across the country gather to sing and dance around flaming torches, soaking up the rich festive atmosphere.

Far beyond a traditional celebration, the Torch Festival serves as a living cultural legacy and a key platform for cultural exchange among Yunnan's diverse ethnic groups.