Four hundred years - and counting. For centuries, the Lisu, a minority group living along the Nujiang River area of Yunnan Province,
    have gathered each spring to bathe in hot springs and participate in a singing competition. The occasion is known as the ‘Singer Party by Hot Springs” or the “Hot Spring Bath Festival.” The festival generally takes place in December or January of the Chinese lunar calendar, and it usually lasts between one and three days.
    It is a grand event. The participants wear their best holiday clothes. They take food, especially cookies, and their bedrolls and live at the hot springs, in the wilderness, during the holiday.
    The Lisu regard the hot spring bath as civilized, clean, holy and pure. Even the elderly, who have lived in mountain villages for long periods of time, despite being aged and weak, walk hand-in-hand along the rugged mountain path with their children and grandchildren to the festival.
    When the people bathe, they are very particular about civic virtues. Men respect the women, and the women respect the men. Normally, the elderly bathe first, followed by the youngsters. As the men bathe, the women prepare the meal; when the women bathe, the younger participants head into the woods to hunt and gather firewood.
    The participants either build bamboo huts or find grottoes in which to live for four or five days. They will generally bathe in the hot springs seven or eight times per day. They believe bathing so often will help prevent or cure illness, develop good health, and give them energy to work in the fields for the next year.
    During the festival, the singers gather into groups for the competition. They sing the long poem “Hot Spring Love Song,” which is about love and production labor. They often compose their own music and they occasionally improvise, when something moves them. The lyrics of one oft-heard song are: “Today we celebrate our New Year. We will have a happy reunion here no matter who comes. Our descendants will still play and sing like this after we are dead. We are happy together, we have a happy time once a year.”
    The competition usually lasts the night. Sometimes, it will last several days. The youth generally form a circle and dance while they sing.
    It is a good opportunity for the youth to meet and get to know members of the opposite sex, and Ñ if the fates are smiling on them Ñ to become lovers.
    The largest and most famous parties are held in Lanping and Lushui counties. During the parties, some people conduct business, even though they don”t have money. They barter animals” skins, herbal medicine and other items.