Literally translated as "lifting dog festival", taigoujie is a traditional celebration of the Miao people in Guizhou. They dress a dog in beautiful ethnic costume and lift a dog with special wooden bench to show their gratitude for the dogs who were believed to find water for their ancestors.
People sing ancient Miao songs and dance in the water to celebrate the special festival. Men carry the dog and marched along the village under the elder’s guidance, while women splash water over the parade as a blessing to wash away sickness and the misfortunes of the past year.
The traditional custom also embraces local people's prayers for ample rain and a fruitful harvest. In 2015, taigoujie was selected as an intangible cultural heritage item in the province.
During the festival, the village attracted about 11,000 visitors, boosting local tourism dramatically.
Source: Guizhou Jianhe county television
