The autumn equinox will fall on September 23 this year. Although the temperature should then be down from the summer heat, it would still average around 27 °C. September is also the wettest month of the year in Haikou! Hence, Mona and I will, if circumstances permit, spend a couple of days in Ledong Li Autonomous County, which, being on the southwestern coast, is in the rain shadow area sheltered by the central mountains of Hainan.
The plan is to attend the Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival and follow up with a sojourn to the three distinctive landscapes of Ledong County (which will be featured in a subsequent article). Besides, September is peak typhoon season, and it is a boon to be sheltered by the central mountains from the full force of typhoons, likely to make landfall in the eastern part of the island.
The national staging of the Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival will be in Xiangyang, Hubei, and the theme for the 2026 festival is “Good Harvest Opens a New Chapter, Solid Work Promotes Rural Revitalization” (丰收开新局 实干促振兴). The Hainan staging of the same festival will take place in Ledong County. This festival was established in 2018 by the central government to recognize the vital role of the farmer in society, to draw public attention to the importance of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers (三农), and to promote and preserve China's rich agricultural civilization and cultural traditions. It is held annually on the autumn equinox. Although harvest times do vary across China’s vast territory, autumn is the primary harvest season for most regions. Besides, many of China’s ethnic minority groups already have traditional celebrations in the second half of the year. Hence, a national festival during the autumn equinox helps to bring these diverse traditions together and provide a unifying date for the harvest celebration.
Although the 2026 Ledong Festival’s schedule of activities has yet to be released, you can expect the festival atmosphere to be joyous, community-focused, and deeply rooted in local traditions. A major highlight is the ‘Farmers' Fun Games’, which include events inspired by farm life, e.g., obstacle races with sweet potatoes or team catching of free-range chickens. These games are less about serious sport and more about celebrating local culture and teamwork.
It will be a fantastic opportunity to sample the area's tropical produce. Ledong County is the "hometown of fruits and melons," so the festival is likely to be a vibrant showcase of its agricultural bounty., which is likely to include mangos of high sweetness, thin core, and juicy, fragrant flesh; honeydew melons grown in sea sand soil with plenty of sunshine and renowned for their creamy, nectar-like sweetness; and a variety of other delicious tropical fruits such as redbananas, dragon fruit, jackfruit, sugar apples, passion fruit, wax apples (a type of guava), longans, and even durian.
Ledong County is also a major production base for winter vegetables, supplying markets across China. Hence, this Festival is an excellent opportunity to taste these fresh, locally grown winter vegetables, including cowpeas (豇豆), bitter melon (苦瓜), luffa (丝瓜), okra (黄秋葵), edamame (毛豆), and chilli peppers (朝天椒).
Meanwhile, there will be food stalls on-site where you can savour local specialities, including the famous Huangliu Old Duck (黄流老鸭) dish, which has earned the title of Hainan's "Fifth Famous Dish" after the island's renowned "Four Great Dishes" of Wenchang Chicken, Jiaji Duck, Hele Crab, and Dongshan Goat. As the name suggests, the key to this dish is the age of the duck. It must be a local breed that has laid eggs for over a year. Its meat has a firm yet chewy texture, which is full of flavor without being fatty. It is gently simmered in water with salt and spices, then allowed to cool naturally before being chopped into pieces – white cut (白切). A signature condiment to the white-cut style is its flavorful dipping sauce, which is a blend of minced garlic and ginger with hot duck broth, calamansi juice (or lime juice), and chili, which the locals consider the "soul" of the dish.
As this year’s Festival will be held in Ledong Li Autonomous County, one should expect that the festival will incorporate events on the "Intangible Cultural Heritage" (ICH) of the Li minority, including artisans demonstrating traditional crafts, the distinctive cuisine of the Li people, and an evening gala dinner featuring song, dance, wine, and merry-making!
Next week, I will post an article on the three distinct landscapes of Ledong: Jianfengling National Forest Park, Longmu Bay, and Yinggehai Salt Flats.
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