Yueye, means "collective visit" in Dong language. The local Han people call it "eating homesickness" and "eating local food". It is usually held in the first month and August of the lunar calendar, which is a traditional social activity of Dong people.

The length of " Yueye " is determined by the content, and the number of participants is usually one representative from one family. Led by the influential people in the village, they visited a friendly village. When the guests of village A are about to arrive in village B, people in village B should meet them at the entrance of the village. At the same time, they should set up many roadblocks with daily production tools or living utensils. The two sides set up a song array and sing "blocking songs" to each other. The home team asked questions with songs, the visiting teams answered with songs, and removed one roadblock at a time. If the answer is wrong, the visiting team will set off firecrackers to express apology and respect. The home team will remove the roadblocks, welcome guests into the village, and participate in various activities, such as performing Dong opera, singing Dong song, performing dragon and lion dance, and playing Lusheng, etc. At the end of the "Yueye", the main village gathered a team to send off the guests. When they were sent to the village gate, they sang the song of blocking the way to express their retention. It shows the solidarity and friendship between compatriots.

The "Yueye" also spreads in Liping, Congjiang, Rongjiang and Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County in Guizhou Province. The custom of "Yue Ye" of Dong nationality is usually held in the slack season after autumn or Spring Festival. "Yueye" activity is on a grand scale, Dongzhai men, women, old and young all dressed in festival costumes, and the village's "Song team", "Lusheng team" and the Opera Troupe participated.

During the period, the guests and hosts performed Dong opera, or played the game of Lusheng, or stepped on the song hall during the day; in the evening, they went to the drum tower to sing great songs, or enjoyed the "gajin" (Dong folk art) until late at night; after that, young men and women of two villages still went to the moon hall to sing and sit at night until dawn. On the day when the guests came to the main village, Dong People's unique folk activities, such as welcoming guests by blocking the road, blowing Sheng to welcome guests, inviting "Sa" into the hall, singing and toasting, carrying officials, and playing Hualian, were presented with various cultural exhibitions. When leaving, the main village will also give gifts of pigs and sheep. Depending on the harvest, the next year or a few years later, this village will return to the other village.

Date: July 3, 2020

Source: Official Website of Guizhou intangible culture and genetic Protection Center