As many as 30,000 people attend the celebration of the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture's 60th anniversary. Photos by Wang An

Liu Qibao, Party secretary of the Sichuan Provincial CPC Committee, addresses the celebration. Photos by Wang An

The Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, the largest habitat of the Yi people in China, celebrated its 60th anniversary in its capital city Xichang, on Sept 23.

As many as 30,000 people attended the celebration, including central, provincial, and local government officials, performers, and local citizens. The event also invited three astronauts of China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft.

Liu Qibao, Party secretary of the Sichuan Provincial CPC Committee, extended congratulations to the prefecture.

Liu praised the prefecture's achievements in the past 60 years. He attributed the progress to the Liangshan people and expressed appreciation for the central government's support.

Nearly 10,000 performers from across the prefecture demonstrated ethnic folk songs and dances to reflect the great changes in Liangshan.

"Our Liangshan has changed so much during the past 60 years," said Wang Dezhong, a 72-year-old Yi person, "I like the celebration very much. I'm so excited."

Zhou Xiaohan, a junior at Xichang College, served as a voluntary guide at the event. "I'm glad to make some contributions to Liangshan," she said.

Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, located at the southwest Sichuan, is rich in natural and ethnic culture resources. The prefecture has a population of 4.87 million, half of whom are Yi people. Its GDP hit 100 billion yuan ($15.86 billion) in 2011, ranking seventh in the province.

Nearly 10,000 performers demonstrate ethnic folk songs and dances in celebration of the anniversary. Photos by Wang An