The sixth day of the sixth lunar month is an auspicious date for many Chinese people, none more so than the Dong people of Guizhou province in southwestern China.

After New Year, the sixth of the sixth is the most important annual festival for the Dong people.

Here in Pudong Village, residents get up early to don traditional ethnic costumes, sing and dance, and welcome guests.

A fishing contest is also central to celebrations.

"I arrived here at half past nine in the morning in order to find a good spot for fishing, but there were already crowds. It's fun, and I've never tried fishing with so many people before," said a local man.

The surrounding mountains echo with the soulful melodies of folk singers, who come in from all over the county for the festival's singing contest. For the Dong people, singing is a way to express love and celebrate relationships.