Miao people prepare for Valentine's Day equivalent

Chinese of Miao ethnicity are in the mood for love ahead of their equivalent of Valentine's Day, an occasion when young Miao women traditionally invite local men over to have meals, dance, sing, exchange keepsakes and even get engaged.

Guizhou Province's Taijiang County, in which 97 percent of the 168,000 residents are Miao, will host three days of parades and music for "Sister's Day" from April 19, the local government announced on Thursday.

Sister's Day is the most important holiday for Miao people. It is based on local folklore about a couple who stayed together despite objection from their parents and tribe leaders. Meeting in secret, the girl would give her lover bowls of glutinous rice, known as "sister's rice."

The holiday reflects the ancient lives of the Miao people during a transition to patriarchy from matriarchy.

The events in Taijiang will see tens of thousands of Miao people don traditional ethnic clothes. Musicians will play lusheng, a reed-pipe musical instrument, and perform drum dances, according to the county government. Group weddings and bullfights will also be held. Endi