The police on duty were painted black by visitors. [Photo/CNS Photo]

  BEIJING -- Hualian Festival or the Face Painting Festival is the grandest traditional festival of the Sani People (a branch of the Yi ethnic group) living in Yunnan. People used to daub their faces black to drive away evil in ancient age. During the festival, villagers especially the youth will paint each other's faces black with collies or other materials. Painting face has become a way for the young to express love. The blacker the faces are painted, the deeper the love is believed to be.