Sanya History

　Sanya was called Yazhou in the ancient times.
　In March 1992, some archaeologists unearthed the site of ancient Sanya people who lived in Luobi Cave about 10,000 years ago.
　This discovery has extended the human history in Hainan by 2, 000 or 3,000 years.
　When the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty set up three states in South China,Xiang state was set up in Yazhou, today's Sanya. Han Yuan, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, Jian Zhen, a famous monk, Zhao Ding, a famous prime minister of the Song Dynasty, Hu Quan ,an important minister of the Song Dynasty, and Huang Daopo, an ancient expert in Textile visited Yazhou, and they made important contributions to the economic and cultural exchanges in that area.

　Nationality

　Holding 130 thousand people in the town, Sanya is inhabited by totally 456 thousand people of over 20 nationalities including Chinese Han, Miao, Li and Hui. In the whole population, 173 thousand are Li people, 3 thousand are Miao and 6 thousand are Hui. These people still maintain their exclusive culture and custom. Attracted by rich folk culture, colorful custom and wonderful folk andicrafts, more and more visitors come from all over the world to visit Sanya

　Hui Nationality

　Hui are off spring of foreign immigrants mainly from Persia and Arab, believing in Islamism, whose traditional religions festivals are Lesser Bairam and Corban. They mainly reside in Huihui Village and Huixin Village of Yanglan Town of Sanya.
The long history and the multiple inhabitants have cultivated a colorful folk culture and art, while they have also developed rich local handicrafts and religions culture. Sanya's local culture and art consist of fairy tales, legends, folk dances, folk music, sculpture, garderning religion and handicrafts. Every piece of the local folk culture and art can be a wonder and a surprise to the visitors.

　　　

　Li Nationality

　Li Nationality is the most ancient inhabitants of Hainan which is also the largest minor nationality in Sanya. They have a long history and unique customs. Each ethnic group celebrates its specific festivals. From harvest festivals to burial, from offerings for good grace, from traditional village rites to family weddings. There is a huge cross section of festivals. March the 3rd is a grand festival of the locals when young people sing songs to each other to express their feelings.
The traditional Bamboo dance of Li Nationality is one of the national excellent dances across the country.

　　　

　Miao Nationality

　They used to live in the mountains. People are friendly and hospitable. Singing, dancing, weaving, cultivating, all these picture their economic and cultural life. Come to the Miao village will make you feel returning to the slash and burn cultivation years, to your heart's content with the sense of returning to the origin.

　　　

　culture

　The long history and the multiple inhabitations have cultivated a colorful folk culture and art ,while they have also developed rich local handicrafts and religious culture . Sanya’ local culture and art consist of fairy tales ,legends , folk dances , folk music ,sculpture ,gardening ,religion and handicrafts. Every piece of the local folk culture and art can be a wonder and a surprise to the visitors .

　Sanya’s folk weaving has been enjoying a long history and well known either home or abroad . It includes roughly the cloth weaving and the bamboo weaving . Cloth weaving is represented by cotton weaving by Li covers, bags and skirts , all known for elaborate patterns and colorful figures. Bamboo strips need be processed in many operations including scraping and polish before they can be woven into delicate handicrafts of different shapes serving different purposes.

　Sanya’s folk art is represented by songs and dances of Li people and Miao people . Their dancing poses all originated from the basic motions for hunting and farming while the accompanying melodies all originated from local folk ballads .

　Li people and Miao people enjoy singing and dancing very much . Upon an abundant harvest the Spring Festival or the March 3 Festival , people with all their whole families gather in an opens field next to their villages , lighting up torches and dancing with accompaniment of gongs in various formations such as “deer hunting” , “turning-back deer” or “coco shell”. A dance named “Jumping over Bamboo” was awarded “China’s Excellent Dance” and classified under China’s repertoires of minority nationalities .