The third Xibe mud festival opened at the Shenyang Tanbo Art Farm (Dao Meng Kong Jian) in Shenbei new district in Shenyang -- capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province on June 25 -- to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, according to local reports.

A large number of visitors from Shenyang and surrounding cities participated in the event.

It included dragon boat races, football matches and a tug of war -- all held in muddy rice fields.

The Xibe ethnic group was one of the first to engage in agriculture in northern China, with members of the ethnic group planting rice there in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The Xibe people continue to hold great esteem for the land and agriculture and they host activities in muddy rice fields each Dragon Boat Festival -- to show their love for the land and desire for good health and a good harvest in the fall.

During the festival, traditional Xibe cultural items and skills were also showcased, including paper cuttings, bows and arrows making and woodcarving.