Lop Nur people welcome spring in Xinjiang

(ECNS) --Lop Nur People held a "Qizhai" festival on Sunday to welcome spring in their village, showcasing their unique culture and folk customs to visitors. Lop Nur People Village is located in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where Tarim River flows through the Taklamakan Desert.

During the ceremony, hunters would be given fish forks by the elder, and hail some slogans to begin the ritual. Young women riding camels would throw special balls to tourists. Local people and tourists would write down their best wishes on the cards, put them on lanterns and let them float away to pray for safety, happiness and a fortunate year.

The roots of the Lop Nur people can be traced back thousands of years. As one of the oldest groups to live in the Taklamakan Desert, they depended basically on fishing for their livelihood and developed a distinct culture based on their unique lifestyle. Nowadays, most Lop Nur people have various options for their lives, but there are still a few who stick to the traditions of fishing and making canoes out of populus euphratica trees.

The Lop Nur People Village is now a popular tourist spot in Yuli County and attracts a number of visitors every year.