The 13th annual “Wear Qipao to Anren” event will unfold from May 1 to 5 in Dayi County’s Anren Ancient Town. This year’s edition retains beloved traditions like the qipao parade while introducing matchmaking games, family-friendly bubble shows, and a dazzling nightly luminous dragon-lion parade—promising an unforgettable cultural immersion.

Event Highlights—Photo courtesy of Dayi Publicity Department

Centered around three themes—cross-cultural innovation, heritage continuity, and revitalized traditions—the festival connects iconic mansions like Liu Yuanhu Mansion, Liu Yuanxuan Mansion, and Chen Yuesheng Mansion along the historic Gongguan Old Street. Visitors will encounter Pao Ge culture (Sichuan brotherhood traditions), Chuanxi folk customs, Taoist rituals, and Sichuan Opera artistry, all woven into Anren's storied tapestry.

Event Highlights—Photo courtesy of Dayi Publicity Department

At the intangible cultural heritage market, craft hands-on experiences like Rongchang grass cloth weaving, oil-paper umbrella painting, and sugar art sculpting await, with masters demonstrating these age-old skills. Four themed Republican-era photo studios—Haipai Glamour, Golden Dust Aristocracy, Bygone Stories, and Retro Reverie—offer immersive snapshots of early 20th-century elegance. As night falls, fire dancers wielding flaming pots, fans, and dragon rods ignite the ancient streets, while sparklers and glowing wheels paint the sky—a spectacle of light and motion.

Event Highlights—Photo courtesy of Dayi Publicity Department

This year's addition—the Silk Ball Toss at Shulai Tower—brings Chengdu's vintage matchmaking customs to life. A lively “matchmaker” hosts the ceremony, inviting visitors to experience the humor and warmth of traditional courtship rituals firsthand.

For this “May Day” holiday, wear a qipao and wander Anren's ancient lanes, where the elegance of silk harmonizes with the town's timeless charm, offering a gateway to Eastern culture's enduring allure.