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Vegetable Picking Festival
It is the festival of the Miaos in Guizhou Province. It is called "Woruojie" in the Miao language. The word "Wo" means to pick or collect, "Ruo" means vegetable, and "Jie" is the name of a particular kind of vegetable. The festival is celebrated from March 12 to 14 of the lunar calendar. It lasts two days. On the occasion, women of Miaos go to mountains to collect vegetables for sale, which later gradually evolved to a festal custom. As the Vegetable Picking Festival occurs in spring for plowing and seedling, it also means to greet and welcome the harvest.
The 1st day of the festival is reserved for the entertainments. In the afternoon of March 13, women of the Miaos will dress themselves up in pretty costumes and gather from far and near to the Jumping Flower Ground. Some young women perform Lusheng dance to the accompaniment of the Lusheng melody to show their happiness. Young men ride on strong horses to take part in the festival.
According to the traditional practice, the married women have to go back to their parents' home with gifts to visit parents, brothers and sisters. Upon departure, the mothers will give their daughters a large pack of sticky rice for their husbands' families.
Datong Year
The Datong Year mostly prevails in the residence area of the Miaos in Guangxi. It usually takes place in January of each lunar calendar year.
The Datong Year has to be held between two villages, which have the relationship of marriage. In addition, it should consider whether the number of the families, manpower and material resources of the counterpart are appropriate. If there is a great disparity, one of the parties will refuse, for they need to slaughter livestock according to the traditional practice. The grade is classified from the highest to the lowest of the buffaloes, scalpers, pigs and sheep.
The Datong Year is commonly proposed by the young men and determined by the village chief. If Village A decides to observe the Datong Year with Village B, it will dispatch a Lusheng team to the lawn of Village B and set off firecrackers, iron cannons and play music to invite the Lusheng team of Village B. The latter will accept and start a contest of Lusheng. Then, the representatives of A will present the red invitation letter to that of B. Agreeing or not, Village B has to give a warm welcome. If the invitation is accepted, Team A will stay one night in Village B to discuss the date and relevant programs of the event.
On the appointed day, the village on invitation will leave only a few people in the village. The other people get dressed up and go to the host village for celebration.
On this day, the host village has built up a colorful gate of the village and placed rice wine at the foot of the gate. Men and women will stand at both sides of the gate. At the sound of the Lusheng from the guest village, the host village will send its Lusheng team to welcome the guests and clear a way to guide the guests up to the front of the gate. At this time, pretty girls will toast the guests with their homemade wine. After drinking the wine of the gate access, the guests will be led by the host village chief and the Lusheng team to the lawn, followed by the villagers. When all people are there, the ceremony of the Caitang will be held. The clamor sounds earsplitting mixed with the firecrackers, homemade iron cannon fire guns, Lusheng as well as laugh and shouts. The host of the village invites the guest Lusheng players and girls to perform Caitang, then the Lusheng players and girls of the host village are engaged in dancing.
When the Caitang finishes, people from the host village start to "capture" the guests. A string of firecrackers have to be set off in front of the guests, who are the target to be "captured". The more guests captured the more they are delighted. The losers often beg the winners of more guests to share with them. The one, who has no share, will ask the team chief to make reasonable judgment trying for the share. If a young man or woman guest is "captured", he or she will be accompanied by the appointed person; in case of a male guest, the partner will be female, and provided the guest is female, the partner will be male. In addition, the partner must look handsome or pretty. On the evening, the guests will be feasted. The fragrant rice wine, preserved meat, fish, duck, goose, birds and fresh meat with mushroom and mushroom soup in hot pot will be served on the table. After the feast, the elder will chat and the young men and girls will sing songs and court each other.
On the 2nd day, the official Caitang begins. After the ceremony, the Lusheng players of both teams and girls enter the ground, the guests preceded by the hosts. Shoulder to shoulder, they play together the Caitang Tune. In case that the host village prepares to slay a buffalo, an elder will pull a big buffalo and turn around in the ground while people riot in dancing and singing. Afterward, the buffalo will be pulled to the shambles. On the very day, the great beef feast takes place on the Lusheng Ground. The hosts and guests raise cups and toast each other to celebrate the event. On the evening, the young men and girls chat in groups with passion and sing in antiphonal style till the daybreak.
On the 3rd day, the guests will depart. Prior to the departure, the hosts and guests will go to the Caitang Lawn and play Lusheng for a while, then say farewell reluctantly.
At parting, the hosts will bundle a buffalo head and a slain fat pig on a bar and ask the guests to carry them back. Seeing off the guests, the host village will fire guns and cannons and send the guests far-off.
Drum Pulling Festival
It takes place once every 13 years in October of the lunar calendar. There is a nice folk story concerning the origin of the Drum Pulling: The drum was formerly preserved in the Heaven. People in the Heaven and on the earth could freely communicate with each other. Once, the Drum Pulling Festival was celebrated in the Heaven. Yongpeng and his wife went to watch the entertainment of the Drum Pulling in the Heaven at the invitation of his mother's brother. He got from the Heaven a drum. When the drum was beaten, the animals ran away and insects disappeared. People on the earth had a harvest and lived in safety.
Another tale says that the Thunder God battled with Ying and burned out all woods in the world. The mountains were bare. Haoliang took all the trouble and trekked a long way. Finally, he found the fir seeds. From then on, there was green fir forest on Miao Mountain. But he became a tree. In order to thank Haoliang for his contribution, people cut a tree and made a drum, which they took to the village as if Haoliang were back to the village. Men and women, old and young, they were all delighted. Thereupon it became a custom to hold the Drum Pulling Festival every 13 years.
The Miaos in Tongle of Sanjiang will elect in advance the emcee in February to celebrate the Drum Pulling Festival. They cut a large tree, and make a wooden drum. Then they use a large wisteria to penetrate it through drum's center. At the same time, they plant on the mountain a Phoebe nanmu. In the very day of the festival, every family sends a person on the early morning to go to the Drum Pulling Mountain. All bags hang on the tree. After the necromancer finishes incantation, people start grabbing the leaves and put into bags, for the villagers consider that the more leaves, the luckier they will become.
While pulling the drum, a person playing Lusheng leads the way. The young people pull the drum along the slope and the others escort. In the entourage stand many lookers-on and people carrying wine and meat. The invited friends and relatives fasten the rattan and tie it on the nearby trees to make troubles, so that the drum carriers are not able to go through easily. When the drum carriers get home, women wait in the front of the door to welcome them with wine and meat. Every family feasts the guests from other places. At last, the necromancer will write down the names, dates of birth and dates of death on a paper, then put it into the drum. Afterward, he approves to place the drum into the cave. In the evening, people gather together to play Lusheng and riot in singing and dancing.
April Eighth Festival
The April Eighth Festival is the traditional festival of the Miaos in the southwest of Guizhou Province. It is also known as the Yanu festival.
On this day, the Miaos from the nearby places gather around the fountain pool to hold various entertainments to memorize the hero, Yanu.
The participators of the festival will be more than 200,000. People play Lusheng, dance, sing, swing, climb the sword ladder, play lantern, and lion dance. People are in large crowds and the scene is wonderful.
Legend has it that the ancestor of the Miaos formerly resided in Luogesang (near today's Guiyang City in Guizhou Province). They lived with ample food and clothing. Afterward, a local tyrant coveted this place and robbed them of it. Yanu, the leader of the Miaos led the people to resist the oppression. They always headed off a danger each time they were encircled by the enemies.
In a furious battle, he was fatally slain by the ruler on April 8. Once at the date of his death, the Miaos will go to his tomb near the Fountain Pool to memorize the hero. The custom is observed by generations.
Guzang Festival
It is the most ancient and spectacular festival of the Miaos in Guizhou Province. Xianglu Mountain is located 15 km from the west of Kaili City in the southeast area of Guizhou Province. It is a famous peak of Miaoling Mountain at an altitude of 1,200 meters, and covers an area of 15 square kilometers. Rocks and cliffs circle the mountain. It is plaint on upper side like a platform and narrow on waist. Xianglu (incense burner) Mountain is named after its appearance in shape of an incense burner.
The term "Chiguzang" is also referred to as "Chiguzang", "Ciniu", "Gusheji" and "Caigujie". It is the most important worship of the Miaos in Guizhou Province. The Miaos believe that the drum made of cowhide is the place where their ancestors used to live, which is considered as the symbol of a kindred family. The "Chiguzang" is a kind of the ritual for the ancestor worshiping passed down from the ancestors for the Miaos in ancient times.
The Chiguzang Festival includes a series of religious rites such as bull fighting, bull-slaughter, making drum of cowhide and worshiping the drum.
The big drum used to worship the ancestors is made of two pieces of cowhides covered on the both sides of a segment of hollowed Phoebe nanmu. There are two kinds of this mysterious big drum: twin-drum and single-drum. The twin drum is made of two similar drums. It is 170 cm long and 30 cm in diameters, respectively, which is inherited from the ancestors. It is preserved in the family with no children after long time of marriage. It is said that to worship the twin-drums will give the family without children the chance of giving birth to a baby and the continuous generation. The single drum is smaller than the twin drum, which is manufactured and applied at the time of the worship. It is manufactured and applied at the time of the worship. After the worship, it will be sent to the cave. It will be never used again and let it rotted with the passage of time.
The rite of the "Guzang" is rather complicated, and consists of a series of great ceremonies, such as receiving the twin drum, worshiping the rotten single drum in the cave, making the new one, bull fighting, bull slaughtering and food offering, etc.
One of the most breathtaking activities is the bull fighting. The big bull will be selected as fighter. The bull chosen is termed as "Crown of the Bull King" and is not allowed to be slain. The victim in the contest is regarded as the hero and is not eligible. It must be buried in grand ceremony. In addition, the stele recording its battle achievements is to be erected on its tomb.
During the bull fighting, the Miaos will treat the passengers and pass-by businessmen as the respected guests; they will invite them to view the bull fighting.
The bull used to sacrifice for the worship has to be fat and strong. It will be decorated. The silver chaplet and embroidered shoes on the horns of the sacrificed bull are designated to worship the female ancestors; the headband and black fabric shoes are prepared for the male ancestors.
When it's getting dark, people set up the altar made of three logs, which are used for the bull slaughtering. The Miaos take out the decoration from the bull and tie it on the spile, then shake the sharp axe to kill the bull. The mysterious rite must be done prior the sunrise and the strangers are not allowed to view. When the day breaks, the bullhead is arranged in order on Xianglu Mountain. The ritual to release souls from purgatory will be presided over by the koradji of the clan. People start singing the old worship song. After the offerings and meat have been sacrificed to the ancestors, the carnival begins. Young men play Lusheng and girls dance. Melody of the songs and Lusheng are in the air. The elders smoke long tobacco pipes. Regardless young and old, female and male, people sing and dance as possible as they could. This entertainment is termed by the Miaos as "Cainiutang" or "Caigu".
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