Hainan marks National Day with bamboo dancing

More than 10,000 young people across Hainan on Friday morning participated in a bamboo dance event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, which falls Oct 1.

The event started simultaneously across 19 cities and counties in the tropical island province.

More than 2,000 students from universities and high schools performed at Evergreen Park in provincial capital, Haikou.

Other performers included more than 1,000 in Sanya, Danzhou, Qiongzhong and Lingshui and around 90 in China's southernmost city, Sansha, as well as 300 performers in the island's 13 other cities and counties.

In addition to the folk dance, there were also performances of National Day-themed songs and dances.

Bamboo dancing, also called firewood dancing, is a traditional activity to encourage friendship.

The dancing is a tradition of ethnic minority groups, such as the Li, Miao, Yao, Zhuang, Wa, She and Jing ethnic people who live in Southern China.

The Li people were the earliest inhabitants of Hainan Island and the current population of the group stands around 1.49 million.

Traditionally, the bamboo pole holders favor three postures: sitting, squatting and standing.

With rhythmic and regular clashing sounds, the dancers, usually young men and women, jump forward and backward, doing all kinds of beautiful movements naturally and gracefully at the moment when the bamboo poles are split and closed.

Bamboo dancing is easy to learn and popular with tourists who want to experience the unique culture of Chinese ethnic groups in Hainan.