Folklore of Hainan—Festival of March 3

 

March 3 festival is the traditional festival of Li nationality who living in the southern side of Hainan Island. As for its origin, there is a legendary story concerned. Long long ago, the place of Qizhiling suffered the unprecedented drought, and local people led a hard life. On one day morning, a youth named Ya Yin told the local that he dreamed about a lark, and if they wanted to escape from this disaster, they had to climb up to the summit of Wuzhishan Mountain (Five-Finger Mountain) and ensnare it via the music. Ya Yin recommended himself and ascended the Peak of Wuzhishan Mountain. Ya Yin played music there for three days and nights until a lark flied out of the deep valley. Ya Yin quickly ran after the lark. Getting over a hill, he suddenly found this lark became a very beautiful girl of Li Nationality. The girl promised to relieve the disaster in the human following Ya Yin. After the disaster passed, they behavior angered a local leader. He commanded his underlings to catch this girl. Ya Yin and girl escaped and hid in a cave. That evil leader ordered his servants set fire to this cave. Suddenly, the thundering happened, and the mountain blasted, and the evil leader and his underlings all died of that. Ya Yin and Girl became a couple of birds flying in the sky. The villagers came and said goodbye to them and gave them best wishes. This day was March 3. Since then, this day becomes one important traditional festivals of Li Nationality.