Guests gather around the long table feast during a celebration party for the ethnic games at the Guanshan Lake Park in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, Sept 15, 2011. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

GUIYANG - The number "nine", which signifies "eternity" in Chinese culture, has been widely featured in the party day of the ongoing Ninth National Taditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China on Thursday to indicate the eternal solidarity among all the 56 nationalities in China.

A total of 9,999 guests, including athletes, members from all participating and observing delegations, media staff and community representatives, were invited to attend the ethnic-style long table feast in Guiyang's Guanshan Lake Park where the party was held.

Long table feast is a traditional guesting way of China's ethnic groups like Miao and Dong for festivals, wedding and birthday party. During the ceremony, feast wine and all kinds of delicious food will be treated to the guests to create a carnival atmosphere.

It has been the first time that long table feast was arranged on the ethnic games' party day when folk shows and interactive games are offered to make chance of promoting multi-communication and enhancing mutual between people of various nationalities.

However, this time only snacks, fruits and bottled water were served instead of the flourishing hot dishes and wine to show the organizers commitment of avoiding extravagance and waste.

Nine magnificent gates of different architectural styles were established to welcome the guests and nine gates representing nine areas of Guizhou, the host province of the quadrennial sports and culture gala.

Actresses perform during a celebration party for the ethnic games at the Guanshan Lake Park in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, Sept 15, 2011. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

Eighty-one volunteering photographers were separated at the nine gates to take pictures of smiling faces from the guests and the photos will be selected and made into nine "smiling-face walls" in the park to demonstrate the joy and happiness the Ethnic Games has brought to the public.

"I have photoed more than 300 smiling faces today," said Zhou Wenxiu, one of the photography volunteers at the "Zunyi" gate. "And the most productive one among us has taken more than one thousand."

"It is a very meaningful experience for me as I can help to record their happiness with my camera. I am glad to make some contribution," added Zhou who is a civil servant in Guiyang, the capital city of Guizhou.

There was also a small stall at each gates with volunteers to distribute postcards to the guests. People can get a special mark stamped on the postcard each gate and those who had collected more than three stamps will have their card posted for free to send their wishes to the family and friends.

A group of memorial trees, including a central one named "Heart to Heart", have been jointly planted during the festivity by representatives from the 34 delegations alongside with senior officials from the host authorities, with each representative bringing 1kg soil and 500ml water from their hometown to mark the ethnic solidarity and harmony.

"It will be a moment that I never forget," said Mu Dan, the presentive from Tianjin, an important port in North China that had hosted the very first Chinese Ethnic Games in 1953. "Planting a tree here is just like sowing a seed of national unity together with friends of various ethnic groups."

"I will definitely come back years later to see the tree here and cherish forever the unique memory of today," added the shuttlecock kicker who was also one of the first pair of torchbearers at last Saturday's opening ceremony of the Games.

A series of splendid performances, combined with both tradition and modern elements, were staged in the middle of the feast area, with four Chinses Olympians took the stage to give their best wishes to athletes at the biggest ethnic games of China without a single Olympic sport.

"It was an honor for me to perform on a stage of the first multi-sports event held by my hometown and in front of my countrymen," said Olympic boxing champion Zou Shiming, who had been under the spotlight as he lit the main cauldron at the games opening ceremony.

"I think it's a good opportunity for Guizhou province to show its best to the whole nation by hosting a grand event like these," he added.

Miao ethnic girls perform during a celebration party for the ethnic games at the Guanshan Lake Park in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, Sept 15, 2011. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

Zou and multi-Olympic swimming gold medalist Luo Xuejuan, men's team foil silver medalist of Sydney Olympic Games Wang Haibin and Yang Hao, a member of the title-winning women's volleyball of China in the 2004 Athens Games, sang a song named "Standing Up" to cheer for the grand ethnic gala.

After the performances, a total of nine culture events were organized for the guest and public to enjoy.

As a tradition for the ethnic games, the big party on day off acts as a gala to bring all the athletes, officials, reporters, organizers and the local citizens together to promote multi-communication and enhance mutual understanding while enjoying folk shows and specific designed activities.

The Ethnic Games gathers the 55 Chinese minority nationalities, which account for 8.49 percent of the country's population of 1.37 billion besides the largest nationality the Hans, and has long been reckoned an important presence in maintaining the 55 ethnic groups' own rich traditions and customs.

Guests attending the celebration party write down wishes for the games and China's ethnic groups' unity and solidarity at the Guanshan Lake Park in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, Sept 15, 2011. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]