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Dunhuang amusement
Dunhuang is rich in cultural and leisure activities. At spring season, there is a special mass makeup dancing performance named “Shehuo” which is organized by local citizens. During the performance, the whole street will be filled up with dancing groups of people in traditional clothes. With the loud drums and billowing flags, hundreds of people from the community get together to celebrate harvest and may the New Year auspicious.
There are various kinds of “Shehuo” activities not only include Dunhuang local traditional performances, but also new quality programming from other cities. These local performances consist of Dragon Lantern, Stilt Walkers, Lion Dance, Land Boat, Running Donkey, and so on. Exotic performances include Shanbei Yangge Dance, Ansai Waist Drum, Weifeng Drums and Gongs, and Umbrella Dance. In recent years, another large-scale “Shehuo” event which is named "Dunhuang Dance" has been rehearsed in accordance with the drum and dance in Dunhuang frescoes. This kind of performance is filled up with traditional Dunhuang art style.
There are also many other special events in Dunhuang:
Art performance - Summer of Dunhuang
Location: Dunhuang Hotel
Time: June to October each year, 18:00 ~ 23:00 every night
Introduction: Mogao Grottoes Mural as the prototype and Dunhuang dance as the theme, various ethnic groups’ dance, costumes and music in Silk Road have been reproduced.
April 8th Temple Fair
Time: Lunar April 8th
Introduction: Dunhuang April 8th Temple Fair is a traditional folk festival which is held on Lunar April 8th every year to commemorate the Nirvana Day of Buddha Sakyamuni. During this festival, local resident, especially Buddhists gathered at the Mogao Grottoes, Sanwei Mountain, or Leiyin Temple to burn incense and worship the Buddha. On this day, people tell their psychological pain and trouble to the Buddha with pious heart, to seek the Buddha blesses. When done all this, people will feel a kind of relief and confidence.
Sand-boarding Festival
Time: June first
Introduction: "Shaming Qingling ridge" is one of the eight most famous attractions. Every year on June first, Dunhuang Municipal Bureau of Tourism, Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Commission and other organizers hold a large Sand-boarding Festival together, when hundreds of sand-boarding lovers slide down from the top of the slope, issuing a thunderous roar which can be clearly heard even five kilometers outside the city.
China's Silk Road Festival
Time: Every year around mid-September
Introduction: During the festival, Dunhuang tour will be specially organized starting from Lanzhou, along the foot of Qilian Mountains to the west, passing through Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Jiayuguan to re-feel the Silk Road. Although their journey is only a small section of the Silk Road, the scenery is spectacular all along the road. In addition with the camel riding and the sand hills climbing, it will definitely be a great fun to tour with many other local and foreign tourists together.
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