Tian'e county in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, held its fourth tung blossom festival on April 8, with many tourists gathering in Sanbao village to enjoy the festivites.

Visitors were invited to appreciate a painting, calligraphy, and photography exhibiton, musical and athletic performances, a traditional Lanyi Zhuang wedding ceremony, embroidery displays and to enjoy a variety of local foods unique to Lanyi Zhuang culture.

Traditional Lanyi Zhuang dancing is performed during the tung flower festival. [Photo/gxnews.com.cn]

Sanbao village is located in a cold highland area with an average elevation of over 900 meters. More than 15,000 people of the Zhuang, Buyi, Yao and Miao ethnic groups live in the 247 square kilometer village.

The village produces tung trees, flue-cured tobacco, China fir, chestnuts and oil-tea camellias. Tung trees are the pillar of the village economy. With a total planting area of 110,000 mu (7,333 hectares), Sanbao is one of the most prolific tung producing villages in the country.

Lanyi Zhuang women use tung flowers as headwear.

Tian'e county also has a long history in tung tree production. With a total cultivated area of 441,700 mu, the county can produce 92,000 tons of high quality tung seeds annually at total value of 220 million yuan ($35.19 million).

Since 2012, Tian'e county has successfully held three tung blossom festivals, winning the "Most innovative Chinese ethnic festival" award in 2014.

Lanyi Zhuang people gather to observe a traditional Lanyi Zhuang wedding ceremony.