China's Miao ethnic group has begun celebrating their most important festival of the year -- the Miao New Year -- in Leishan County, Guizhou Province in the southwest.

The annual event, recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, marks the end of the harvest season and falls in the tenth and eleventh month of the lunar calendar.
On Wednesday, Leishan celebrated the Miao New Year with a grand parade featuring intangible cultural heritage, drawing crowds of tourists with its vibrant performances and traditional attire.
"Their costumes are absolutely gorgeous. I'm simply overwhelmed," said Xu Lili, a tourist from Hebei Province in north China.
The grand parade involved 56 performing groups and more than 5,200 participants. Apart from local residents, teams from Hunan and Zhejiang provinces in central and east China, and neighboring counties including Congjiang, Rongjiang and Liping also took part in the festivities.
"I've come to the Miao New Year in Leishan for several years, and this year it's grander than ever. The intangible heritage section is especially richer," said Zheng Yade, an actor of the Lusheng (a reed-pipe wind instrument) team from Rongshui County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China.
"Life is better now, and the festival gets ever livelier. Our hometown is more and more beautiful, and we welcome visitors from across the country to Guizhou, celebrate the Miao New Year, and experience our happy life and vibrant folk culture," said Li Lanhua, a villager performer from Leishan County.
This year, Leishan's Miao New Year celebrations will continue through mid-December. Leishan has introduced 11 themed travel routes linking local villages based on their cultural features and geographic locations, inviting visitors to explore the region and immerse themselves in the joyous atmosphere of Miao life.