Folk Festivals
2026 Latest Roundup: Best Viewing Schedule for Chaoshan 'Ying Lao Ye' and Yingge Dance
2026-05-14 Chaoshan Local Expert
⚠️ 2026 Spring Festival Travel Warning and Preparation Tips
The first day of the first lunar month in 2026 corresponds to February 17 in the Gregorian calendar. The first lunar month is the most crowded and boiling time of the year in Chaoshan. Not only do hotel prices rise, but villages and towns hosting folk activities also implement strict traffic controls. It is strongly recommended to book hotels 2-3 months in advance and use local chartered car services. Do not attempt to drive yourself or hail a car on the spot in rural areas during the first lunar month!
#Spring Festival Travel#Traffic Warning#Book in Advance#2026 Chaoshan Tour
"In the north, there is Ansai waist drum; in the south, there is Chaoshan Yingge. Watching an authentic, crowded 'Ying Lao Ye' is the highest form of nostalgia comfort for overseas Chaoshan people, and the best window to experience the unity and blood of Chaoshan people."
Chaoshan folk customs "Yingge Dance" and "Ying Lao Ye" have become world-class intangible cultural heritage cards popular globally. For overseas Chinese from Singapore and Malaysia and foreign tourists planning to return home during the Spring Festival, this article exclusively compiles the most authoritative viewing schedule and core venue guide for 2026 (the Year of the Horse in the lunar calendar), helping you accurately time your visit and immerse yourself in this "Chinese War Dance" and carnival feast belonging to Chaoshan people.
Key highlights
- Accurate Timing: Exclusive compilation of the core parade routes of Yingge Dance in Chaoyang and Puning during the first lunar month of 2026.
- Hardcore Folk Customs: Revealing the explosive times of limited wonders like Chenghai Yan Zao's "Deity Tugging" and Jieyang Qiaolin's "Burning Dragon."
- Lunar-Gregorian Conversion: Thoughtfully providing a comparison of lunar and Gregorian calendars for 2026 to facilitate overseas tourists in booking flights.
- Pitfall Avoidance Guide: Avoiding rural traffic controls, recommending the best shooting positions and chartered car transfer solutions.
- Cultural Analysis: Quickly understanding the clan culture behind "Ying Lao Ye" and its profound meaning of protecting the land and ensuring peace.
For overseas Chinese who have lived in Malaysia and Singapore for years, the New Year flavor of Chaoshan begins with the deafening sound of drums and the shouts of Yingge Dance.
In Chaoshan, "Lao Ye" is a respectful term for deities, and "Ying" means "parade." Every first lunar month, villages invite the deity statues out of the temple and parade them around the village to pray for favorable weather—this is called "Ying Lao Ye." The Yingge Dance is the most spectacular and thrilling "vanguard" of the procession.
To ensure you don't miss any spectacular performance in 2026, we have compiled this hardcore schedule of "Chasing Deities and Chasing Dances":
I. 2026 Chaoshan Yingge Dance: Tracing the Footsteps of "Chinese War Dance"
Yingge Dance is mainly divided into "Puning Yingge" (fast rhythm, vigorous movements) and "Chaoyang Yingge" (varied formations, simple and grand).
Core viewing period: From the first day to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (February 17, 2026 - March 3, 2026, Gregorian calendar)
Recommended check-in spots in Puning City:
Liusha Town / Liaoyuan Street (Nigou Village): This is one of the birthplaces of Puning Yingge. Usually starting from the second day of the first lunar month (February 18, Gregorian calendar), large-scale Yingge teams perform in the village square.
Zhanlong Town: During the first lunar month, Yingge teams from various villages hold "New Year greeting" parades, making it the best place to experience the face-painting culture and the sound of wooden sticks up close.
Recommended check-in spots in Chaoyang District, Shantou:
Miancheng / Guiyu Town: The stronghold of Chaoyang Yingge, usually with large street parades from the second to the fourth day of the first lunar month. It is recommended to arrive early to secure a spot on the roadside.
II. 2026 Hardcore "Ying Lao Ye" Highlights Roundup
In addition to Yingge Dance, Chaoshan's "Ying Lao Ye" features many hardcore branch activities that make out-of-town tourists exclaim "too crazy":
Jieyang Qiaolin Fireworks Fire Dragon (Burning Dragon)
Time: The tenth day of the first lunar month (February 26, 2026, Gregorian calendar)
Highlights: Dancers perform bare-chested, shuttling through a sky full of fireworks and a sea of fire, creating a stunning scene that symbolizes burning away bad luck and ushering in prosperity.
Chenghai Yan Zao "Tuo Shen" (Deity Tugging)
Time: The 21st and 22nd days of the first lunar month (March 9-10, 2026, Gregorian calendar)
Highlights: An extremely fierce folk custom! Villagers compete, push, and even drag the deity statue into the paddy field, symbolizing "the more the deity is tugged, the more prosperous it becomes." It is an explosive, power-based folk activity.
Chenghai Longdu "Swinging" and Lantern Parade
Time: During the first lunar month
Highlights: Huge ancient-style swings, accompanied by evening parades of long lanterns (Ying Deng), perfect for travelers who enjoy photography and a slow-paced cultural experience.
III. Expert Tips: Complete Viewing Guide for Singaporean and Malaysian Tourists
About Transportation and Itinerary: Villages hosting these folk activities usually have narrow roads and will be closed on the day. Starting from Shantou or Chaozhou city center, ride-hailing services (Didi) can hardly enter the village, and after the event, it's even harder to find a car. We recommend referring to our Chaoshan Chartered Car Guide Service, where a local driver familiar with village roads can take you through small roads to avoid congestion and arrange the best viewing spots.
About Dressing Warmly: February in Chaoshan is the "damp and cold" winter season, with very low temperatures at night when watching the "Burning Dragon" or "Lantern Parade." Be sure to refer to our Chaoshan Winter Dressing Guide and prepare windproof jackets and thermal underwear.
Photography Tips: The deity parade scene is extremely crowded. If you want to take great photos, it is recommended to bring a telephoto lens and take care to protect your phone and valuables to avoid losing them in the crowd.
"Ying Lao Ye" is not just a lively performance; it is the root of Chaoshan people's cohesion. In the spring of 2026, bring your family back home and feel the resonance in your blood amidst the thunderous drums!