a strong repression that caused many of them to emigrate to faraway Vietnam. Culture Many Bouyei are agricultural farmers who commonly cultivate crops for consumption or sale like rice, millet, wheat, potatoes, maize, cocoa, tea, silk and many other types of crops. The Bouyei have also played a major role as intermediate merchants in the region. Due to changing economies, the Bouyei engage in both small-scale and large-scale commercial or business operations. Traditional Bouyei handicrafts and batiks are renowned throughout the region. The Bouyei celebrate many festivals, both native and those derived from Han culture. One native festival is called the Ox King's Day(牛王节) on April 8th, an annual celebration meant to honor oxen and their contribution to agricultural activities. June 6th is an important traditional Buyei holiday for ancestral worship.The story behind this tradition exists.According to Bouyei mythology, after Pangu became an expert in rice farming after creating the world, he married the daughter of the Dragon King, and their union gave rise to the Buyei people. The daughter of the Dragon King and Pangu had a son named Xinheng (). When Xinheng disrespected his mother, she returned to heaven and never came down, despite the repeated pleas of her husband and son. Pangu was forced to remarry and eventually died on the sixth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar. Xinheng's stepmother treated him badly and almost killed him. When Xinheng threatened to destroy her rice harvest, she realized her mistake. She made peace with him and they went on to pay their respects to Pangu annually on the sixth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar. There are christian churches among the Bouyei ethnic group in China. Most of them are in Guizhou and Yunnan. There is Catholic influence. Notable Bouyei people Guo Jian (郭健), artist Huang Xiaoyun (黃霄雲), singer and actress Wang Nangxian, leader of the anti-Manchu White Lotus Rebellion Xiao Sha (肖莎), gymnast See also Bouyei churches List of ethnic groups in China List of ethnic groups in Vietnam References External links The Bouyei ethnic minority (government homepage, in English) (Bouyei online, in Bouyei and Chinese) (Outline of the whole Liao [Rao, Lao, Tai] people) Bouyei language page (from Ethnologue site) (the forum of Bouyei, in Bouyei and Chinese, the biggest site of Bouyei in China) Map share of ethnic by county of China Tai peoples Ethnic groups officially recognized by