Sanduo Festival is the one of the grand festivals Naxi people spend in Lijiang. It’s celebrated on lunar Feb 8th each year and has been a traditional and statutory public holiday for Lijiang.

Legend goes that: in old times, a hunter stumbled upon a grotesque snow-white rock on the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain when hunting. He decided to carry it home. The rock is so light that he could lift it with ease. But when he arrived at the foot of the mountain and stopped for short break and a cigarette; to his surprise, when he continued his journey, he found he could no longer carry the rock which just seemed to root deeply into the earth. Many people thought that rock was the avatar of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and a shrine named Beiyuemiao was then constructed for the avatar. Ever since, Naxi people claimed they would see a god in white coat and white helmet, holding a white spear and riding a white horse. It’s Sanduo God. Sanduo has been regarded as the Protector for Naxi people always sheltering Naxis in time of need.

It is believed that Sanduo God was born in the year of goat. Therefore, on the goat day of February and August, a goat is sacrificed to him. Feb 8th has been decided as Sanduo Festival which is the most significant celebration of Naxi people in Lijiang. During the day many Naxi people from near and far, in traditional costumes, came to visit Beiyuemiao Shrine, offering sacrifice to Sanduo God. During Sanduo Festival, Lijiang Municipality will set three days off as public holiday.