Traditional festivals of the Miao people

The traditional festivals of the Miao people include the Miao New Year, April 8th, the Dragon Boat Festival, the New Eating Festival, the Autumn Festival, etc. Among them, the Miao New Year is the most grand. The Miao Year is equivalent to the Spring Festival of the Han people, usually held after autumn. On the morning of the festival, people place prepared delicacies on the stove beside the fire pit to worship their ancestors, and rub wine on the nose of the cow to show reward for their hard work for a year. Young men and women in costumes danced the hall dance.

Miao Nian

Miao Nian is a traditional festival for the Miao people in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou Province, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and other places to celebrate the harvest and pray for good weather in the coming year. . Generally after the harvest season, some are held on the 10th day of the lunar calendar, and some are held on the 9th, 10th and 11th lunar calendar on the Mao (Rabbit) day or the Chou (Ox) day. It is equivalent to the Spring Festival of the Han people.

On the morning of the festival, the younger generations will reverently place the prepared delicacies on the stove next to the fire pit to worship their ancestors. Rub some wine on the nose of the cow as a reward for its hard work for a year. Girls wear brightly colored batik trousers or long and short pleated skirts with different styles, embroidered edges or embroidery, and eye-catching earrings, bracelets and other silver ornaments, dancing with handsome young men. Tatang dance (men play the Lusheng and women dance in an arc). At night, the sound of big bronze drums spread throughout the village. Young men from other villages carry lanterns and play flutes to the "youfang" field near the village to have fun (also known as "sitting on the girl", "sitting on the village", "stepping on the moon", etc., that is, social love activities of young men and women). Singing continues in every village. Through antiphonal singing, the lovers are connected together by the object of love - the brocade ribbon embroidered with mandarin ducks.

If Miao Nian meets the "Eating Drum and Tibet" year, it will be more grand. "Drum" means "big family", and "Guzang" is an ancestor worship ceremony held jointly by family members. , held once every few years, ranging from seven to eight to ten years. In front of the "Guzang", the "Guzang" cows (large bulls that have been fed to the God of Guzang for three years) are lined up for wrestling. At that time, the "Gu Zangtou" recommended by everyone will preside over the ceremony, killing cattle to worship ancestors, and also killing chickens and ducks. Relatives from all over the country came to participate, and the event lasted for more than ten days.

Eating New Crop Festival

Also called "New Crop Festival". "Eating New Things" is one of the festivals of the Miao people living in the middle and upper reaches of Qingshui River and Duliu River. There is no uniform set date. According to custom, during the harvest season, everyone will find a field where the rice grows best, and everyone will celebrate the "New Eating Festival" here. It is said that in ancient times, there was no millet in the world, only the millet controlled by the God of Thunder (Thunder God) in the sky. People had to hunt to make a living. In order to obtain grain seeds, the ancestors of the Miao people asked for help and took 9,999 kinds of rare birds and animals to the Millet Country in exchange for nine buckets, nine liters and nine bowls of grain seeds, and put them in the warehouse for sowing in the coming spring. But one night, Awuyou, who had very long arms, scratched the sky with his hands, stepped on stones and pounded fern roots by the light of the sky lantern, and accidentally knocked over the sky lantern, which fell into the wooden warehouse. Top. As a result, a fire broke out, and the fire burned bigger and bigger. Gu Zhong cried and screamed in the warehouse, and finally flew into the sky on the smoke and ran back to Gaohu's home. Gao Lao went to Gao Hu and asked him to persuade him to return the grain seeds, but Gao Hu insisted that the grain seeds had not reached heaven. There was no other way, so Gao Lao discussed with Gao Hu and exchanged 9999 kinds of rare birds and animals for grain seeds. Nine layers of skin were worn out on his mouth, nine jars of water dried up in his throat, and he refused to comply even if he begged for life or death. After thinking about it for nine days and nights, Qiao Lao finally came up with a plan: when the millet was ripe, he would send a dog to roll around in the rice field and let the millet be brought back with its fur. On the morning of the 13th day of the seventh month in the ancient calendar, the dog was about to set off, and he asked for help: He wanted to collect grain seeds with stalks five feet high and ears five feet long. But because the dog was walking too fast, when he arrived at the south gate, he accidentally tripped and mistook the words he told me. As a result, he ran into a rice field that was only five inches long. He rolled a few times and ran back. . Defendant Hu discovered the plan. When the dog reached the overpass, Gaohu sent ninety-nine strong warriors to guard the bridge. They knocked the dog down into the Tianhe River. They thought that the Tianhe River was wide and deep, and the dog would only die. One piece. But they never expected that after the dog fell into the Tianhe River, he quickly raised his tail high out of the water, swam back across the Tianhe River with great effort, and came back with nine grains of grain on his tail. When I got the grain seeds, I quickly plowed the fields and removed the seeds. On June 6 in the ancient calendar, a bunch of ears of grain like a dog's tail came out from the top of the seedlings. A month later, the golden ears of grain matured. The thirteenth day of the seventh month in the ancient calendar is the day when grain seeds are harvested. On this day, I picked nine liters of millet and cooked a large pot of fragrant white rice. He first scooped out three large bowls for the dogs to eat, and then tried something new for himself.

The remaining grain seeds are sown every year so that people can eat white rice. In order to remember the day of harvesting grain seeds, July 13th was designated as the New Eating Festival, which has been passed down. On the festival day, every family cooks with new grains. As soon as dawn breaks, people bring new rice, wine, chickens, ducks, fish, and meat to the fields. After offering sacrifices to their ancestors, the banquet begins, and everyone forms a circle. , each person raised the wine glass in his hand to the lips of the next person. The old man gave the order, and everyone cheered three times in succession, then toasted each other and drank the wine in one gulp. Suddenly laughter echoed in the fields, and traditional cultural and sports activities such as antiphonal singing, pond stepping, and Lusheng dancing began until dusk.

April 8th

The eighth day of April in the lunar calendar is a traditional festival for the Miao people near Guiyang City, Guizhou Province to commemorate the ancient hero "Yanu". According to legend, a long time ago, the Miao people recuperated in the prosperous Grogesang (near today's Guiyang) and lived a happy, contented and well-fed life. In order to resist the attack of the ruler's officers and soldiers, the resourceful leader "Yanu" led his people to fight bravely and dealt a heavy blow to the intruders. However, he was ultimately outnumbered and unfortunately died on the eighth day of April and was buried in "Jia Bashi" (now Guiyang). (near the city fountain). In order to commemorate the hero "Yanu", every eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, Miao people dressed in festive costumes gather from all directions to gather at the fountain in Guiyang City.

At that time, the red flag will be fluttering next to the fountain, and people will flock to it, playing the sheng and flute, singing antiphonal songs, playing lions, playing with dragon lanterns, playing ball, and competing in martial arts. The young men's reed pipe competition is very interesting. They play the reed pipe while doing tricks such as rapid spins, short steps, and handstands. At night, Guiyang City and the fountain area are brightly lit, just like daytime, with singing and dancing everywhere, creating a joyful scene.

April 8th activities are also popular among the Miao people in Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou and other places.

Zhouxi Lusheng Festival

The Miao people living in the Zhouxi area of ??Kaili. The Lusheng Festival is celebrated from the 16th to the 20th of the first lunar month. The Lusheng Hall is located on the river sand dam next to the well ridge of Zhouxi. In the early morning of the 16th day of the first lunar month, several old people who presided over the Lusheng Hall carried the Lusheng to the well to check the inscription and read: "Blowing the Sheng and lifting the moon is an entertainment activity that has been popular among the Miao people for thousands of years. Every New Year's Day , all over the country followed suit, celebrating the New Year with entertainment, and making it a good time for our Miao people to get married freely..." After reciting, pour out the rice wine in the gourd, spray the wine on the stele and in the center of the Lusheng Hall for a few times, and then everyone drinks again. After a long gulp, the first Luzhu song was played; at this time, girls and boys wearing silver flower jewelry and gorgeous festival costumes danced to the sweet tune. The young men ask for flower ribbons from the people they like, and the girls tie the flower ribbons on the reed pipes of the young people they like. Three days passed, and the young men and women each found a partner in their hearts. At this time, the old man who presided over the Lusheng Hall still carried rice wine on his back and sprayed rice wine on the stele and the Lusheng Hall. A grass sign is placed in the center of the hall. From then on, the reed instrument was hung high until the grain returned to the warehouse, which was the "Miao Year" in the lunar calendar, and then it could be taken down and played until the Lusheng Festival. The fourth day is Spring Festival, when young couples talk and sing freely, mingle with each other and send tokens to each other.

Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is from the 24th to the 27th of the fifth lunar month every year. At this time, thousands of people dressed in costumes gather on the riverside to participate in the sacrificial activities before the dragon boat departure. . At the beginning of the competition, dozens of dragon boats advanced through the waves, gongs, drums and salutes from both sides of the Taiwan Strait were fired, and the audience roared with earth-shattering cheers. Activities such as antiphonal singing and Lusheng dance were also held on the shore. At night, before the fun is over, young men and women gather together to sing to each other and express their true feelings.

Fishing Festival

The Fishing Festival is a festival of the Miao people on both sides of the Dumu River and Nanming River in central Guizhou. The Dumu River originates from Yunwu Mountain, flows north in Guizhou to the junction of Youli and Fulai, joins the Nanming River, and then flows north into the Wujiang River. This festival was originally a rain festival when the Miao people prayed to the Dragon King for rain by the river when water was needed for sowing and transplanting rice. However, over time, it gradually evolved into a fishing festival.

The festival period varies from place to place, from March to June, and is determined by the reputable "fisherman" who is good at fishing in each village. At that time, young and strong men will go to the mountains to collect leaves for "medicine" and fish in the river, while women will prepare bacon, sausages, glutinous rice and wine at home. At noon, the whole family, young and old, dressed in costumes and carrying wine and meat, went to the river to have a meal. After eating, the man played the reed pipe. Women sing folk songs and enjoy themselves. When the sun sets, they take fresh fish home and hold another banquet to entertain relatives and friends or give them fish as gifts.

The Letter-Eating Festival

The Letter-Eating Festival is a festival of the Miao people in Baozhai, Hejiang County, Guizhou Province. It lasts for four days and falls on the "Xin" ("Xin") in the sixth month of the lunar calendar every year. E) Day (calculated according to the year of the stems and branches).

At that time, the Miao girls who are married to other places will dress up as much as possible, wearing flowery dresses and silver ornaments. They will be loaded with holiday gifts and travel back home to visit their parents and fellow villagers. During the festival, the whole village is full of joy, drums and drums are playing, reeds are played, and people dance gracefully. Everywhere is filled with festive joy. At the foot of Baigaiya Mountain and on the bank of Wengya River, there was a buzz of people. Bullfighting, sparrow fighting, reed-pipe dancing, tug-of-war, playing ball and other competitions were filled with cheers. Young men and women in love invite each other to the woods, sing folk songs by the stream, and tell each other their love.

Huashan Festival

Huashan Festival is also known as "stepping on Huashan", "playing on Huashan" or "Huashan". "Treading on the Mountain", also called "Tiaochang" or "Peach Blossom", is a grand festival for the Miao people in western and central Guizhou Province, southeastern Yunnan Province and southern Sichuan Province. The dates vary, some are in the first month of the lunar calendar, and some are in May, June, or late August. Before the festival, several Miao villages jointly formed a three-person leadership group of Huashan Hui, with terms ranging from three years to seven years to twelve years. The flower farm is located in the flat Feng Shui treasure land.

At that time, the "flower field" will be dressed in festive costumes, with lanterns hanging high and colorful flags flying. Flower poles stand. Men wearing double-breasted shorts, long blue cloths on their heads, and large market belts around their waists, and women dressed in festive attire and meticulously dressed up, played the Lusheng and Na, beat the bronze drums, sang and danced, and gathered from all directions in the gathering place. Lusheng dance runs through the whole flower fair. Song competition is the main event of the flower fair. The pole climbing competition is the most eye-catching. Lion dances, martial arts competitions, bullfighting, and horse racing activities all vary from place to place or may be a combination of them. Lusheng dance gives people a relaxed and lively feeling. Girls in bright clothes dance to the melody of the young man playing the reed. Some of the men line up in a row, playing and dancing while the girls dance in circles around the team of reeds; some of the young men play the reed. The sheng is in front, the girl joins her arms and dances behind, or hundreds of people in the audience dance together to the music, singing and dancing, which is refreshing. The lion dance activity is unique and interesting. A pig head (or a chicken) and two bottles of wine are hung on the top of the standing flower pole. After the lion dance is completed, there is a competition to climb the flower cup. The flower cup is made of a peeled pine tree. It is tall, smooth and thin. It is very difficult to win. People often use the method of human ladder to pick the victory. The flower pole climbing performance has the most national characteristics. The performer plays the sheng while spinning and dancing around the pole. A harrier flips over the pole with his head facing down, crosses his legs tightly and hangs upside down on the pole, playing the Lusheng, and a carp lifts himself up, inverts his body 180 degrees, and repeats the cycle until he climbs to the top of the pole. The performer holds the flower pole with his feet and hangs upside down. Playing the reed while sliding down, when he was a few feet above the ground, he turned over in a somersault. He was so light and easy that he surpassed the skills of gymnasts and won the applause of the audience. Women's hemp needle-threading competition is very interesting, and they compete on the quality and speed of twisting the hemp rope and threading the needle. The crystallization of hard work and wisdom brings them holiday joy. The Huashan Festival is an opportunity for young men and women to socialize. The girl they are in love with will be gathered by the flower umbrella held by the young man, leaning against each other and talking to each other. Huashan Club is filled with the atmosphere of the show, full of sincere friendship and pure love.

Mars Cutting Festival

A traditional festival of the Miao people. Popular in Guanling area of ??Guizhou. The content of the festival mainly stipulates rural regulations. According to different surnames, the time of the festival is also different. Roughly ranging from July, August and September 27th. Once a year, each household in the clan takes turns celebrating the new year. During the new year, they are responsible for convening everyone to discuss village regulations and related major events. Then, the family prepares wine and kills chickens, invites everyone to drink "Hexin Wine", and puts the chicken heads on it. Here’s to the next new year. According to the cycle, whose turn is the New Year's Eve, gatherings and "understanding wine" will be held at that house.

Hakka Year

The Hakka Year of the Miao people is the Spring Festival. On the 30th night of the lunar calendar, families gather together and no outsiders are allowed to disturb them. They left the door ajar and set off firecrackers to show that no one was allowed in at this time. In the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, firecrackers continue to be set off to respect ancestors and eliminate evil. People use their hands to make cattle and sheep stalls, and say: "Drive the cattle, drive the sheep..." to show that the six animals are prosperous, and then eat the New Year's meal. Starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, Miao people dressed in costumes visit each other's homes to congratulate each other on the festival. A hospitable host should toast three glasses of wine to his guests. Every house is filled with holiday joy. Young men and women gather on the lawn next to the village front village, playing the reed pipe, playing the yueqin, dancing and singing. In some places, activities such as "stepping on the flower mountain" and "bringing cattle" are held.

Drying Bridge Festival

A traditional festival in Zhaitou, Miao Township, Sansui County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, also called "February 2". It is said that the people of Zhaitou originally lived in Yewu Mountain. Because the land in Zhaitou was fertile, the whole village people moved into Zhaitou together.

On the day of moving, Long had to move with him, but the Shiping River blocked the way of Long. So the Gouluo (elders) in the village discussed and decided to build a bridge to bring Long over, because the dragon symbolizes good luck and happiness. All twelve houses in the village had to be connected, so this bridge was built with twelve piers. After the bridge was built, it was named "Jielong Bridge". The bridge was built on the second day of the second lunar month. To commemorate this day, every year on this day, a pig is carried from each of the twelve houses of the Miao family in Zhaitou and slaughtered on the bridge.

Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the "Dragon Boat Festival" in some places, is held in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Songtao Miao Autonomous County and Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou Province. The traditional festival of the Miao people is usually held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

At that time, by the Qingshui River, colorful flags are flying, people are like a sea, and songs are like a tide. Dozens of newly decorated green, red and yellow dragon boats are lined up and parked at the starting line of the competition. superior. The banners of "good weather" and "abundant grain harvest" were buzzing in the wind. There are thirty or forty athletes on each boat, wearing double-breasted shorts, embroidered belts around their waists, indanthrine trousers, and exquisite bamboo hats on their heads. They are all in high spirits and ready for action. The respected drum master and the handsome young man beat the drums and shouted, commanding the dragon boat to march on the wide river. The dragon boat was like an arrow flying off the string, and the cheers and cheers from both sides of the bank resounded in the sky. At the end of the competition, young men and women danced to the sounds of music such as Lusheng, Chuina, Bamboo Flute, Mangtong, Yueqin, and Konoha. Horse racing, bullfighting, drumming and "touring" activities are held together, adding to the rich atmosphere of the festival. During the festival, the married girl returns to her parents' home with a load of chickens, ducks, and brown rice cakes.

Sisters Festival

A traditional festival of the Miao people. Popular in the Miao ethnic area of ??southeastern Guizhou, Guizhou Province. Every spring, the Miao women there celebrate a "Sisters' Festival" and eat a "Sisters' Meal". On the morning of the festival, the girls in the village go to the fields to catch fish and prepare "sister rice". No matter which field they go to catch fish, they will be welcomed. After the women finished eating the "sisters' rice", they each brought the colored glutinous rice prepared in advance and went to Youfangchang to sing to the young men. If a young man wants to eat glutinous rice, he must win the antiphonal song. In addition to antiphonal singing, women can participate in various entertainment activities at will. Married girls also have to go back to their parents' home to celebrate "Sisters' Day".

Mountain Climbing Festival

The Miao people’s Mountain Climbing Festival, also known as the “Horse Climbing Festival”, has a history of thousands of years. It is celebrated every year on the “Horse Day” in late March of the lunar calendar. (In ancient times, the twelve zodiac signs were used to record dates), which is held on the 19th day of the third month of the lunar calendar. At that time, the Miao people living in the Kaili area of ??southeastern Guizhou gathered on Xianglu Mountain. They sang and fought with birds on the mountain, and it was very lively. The young men and women sang and climbed along the winding mountain path to the top of the mountain. Singing along the way, the Miao people's flying songs, love songs, drinking songs, and ancient songs fill the hillside. The first one to reach the top of the mountain is known as the "climbing hero" and is respected by everyone. Be favored by girls. It is said that the Xianglu Mountain Mountain Climbing Festival commemorates Abu, a handsome young man of the Miao ethnic group, and Abie, the youngest daughter of the Jade Emperor. Abie, the youngest daughter of the Jade Emperor, yearned for a free life in the world, so she flew down from the top of the mountain, married the smart, capable, honest and kind-hearted Abu, and had three daughters. One morning when the whole family was enjoying themselves, a cock crowed for the first time. The Jade Emperor stipulates that when the rooster crows three times a day, it is the time to worship. If Abie cannot arrive in time, disaster will be imminent. The anxious Abie climbed up to the top of the mountain and collapsed six floors with one kick while flying towards the sky. Without the top of the mountain, Abie could no longer descend to the earth. The Jade Emperor also punished Abu to become an incense burner for burning incense because he could not enjoy the incense in the world without the top of the mountain. In order to commemorate the loyal love between Abie and Abu, the Miao family celebrates the annual mountain climbing festival on the day when Abu turns into an incense burner.

Fish Killing Festival

The Miao people living in Guiding, Guizhou Province celebrate the Fish Killing Festival every year on the ninth day of the third lunar month. On this day, people get up early and come to the river, fork fresh fish from the river, cook and eat by the river, sing folk songs and blow reeds while eating, and wish for good weather and good harvests.

Onion Picking Festival

It is a gathering of Miao youth in Wengpaipo, Baojing County, western Hunan. Legend has it that a long time ago, Adare, the daughter of a native official of the Miao village, fell in love with Yannuo, a cowherd of the Miao family in Bangsha. The local official was so angry that he said: "How can a phoenix bird sleep with a nail sparrow?" The old man in Yannuo also advised Yannuo: "Honeysuckle and Dibacai cannot have the same heart." Adala was locked in the stilted building. Inside, can't go out. Yannuo drives his cattle home every evening and runs from Bangsha to Laozi Village to see his beloved girl. Adara, who had lost his freedom, sang: "The kingfisher is locked in a bamboo cage, hanging on the flowers on the mountain.

Birds look forward to flowers, flowers look forward to birds, and they meet each other only when picking green flowers during the Qingming Festival. "Qingming Picking Green" means that Miao girls go up the mountain to pick gourds and onions on the Qingming Day to ask the mountain god for blessing. Yannuo understood the girl's meaning and hurriedly sang: "The vines torn off the tree are rolled to the ground, and the vines are withered and the leaves are also dead." I feel so lonely and desolate. I look forward to the Qingming Festival and the spring rain. I will never leave the village again. "On the day of Qingming Festival, the two of them left home early and met on the Wengpai slope with lush gourds. Their loyal love for each other moved the gourd onion fairy and contributed to their beautiful marriage. Therefore, every year during the Qingming Festival, young Miao women Wearing festive costumes, bringing steamed "Qingming Baba", holding onion knives, and young men holding sand knives, they all gathered on Wengpai Slope to sing to each other to choose a mate. This is the annual "onion picking party". ”.

Drum Sacrifice Festival

This is the traditional ancestor worship festival of the Miao people. There is a big sacrifice every twelve years and a small sacrifice every six or seven years. Legend has it that the mother of mankind, "Meibangmei" "Liu" is born from the heart of the maple tree. After they die, they have to return to the maple tree. After death, the soul also has to return to its hometown to rest in peace. The hometown of the ancestors is in the heart of the tree, and the wooden drum is a symbol The place where the ancestors rested. Later, "ancestor worship" was called "drum worship". Today, drum worship is held in units of "缩leu". A blood-related family descended from an ancestor, they jointly worship a wooden drum that they believe the soul of the ancestor lives in. On the day of the Drum Festival, each family can prepare a water-sticked cow, or several families can prepare one, or Buy some beef. First let the cattle fight. Hundreds of cattle fight together. The scene is very spectacular, and then they are slaughtered and offered. According to custom, whether it is relatives and friends who come to celebrate, guests who come to watch the bullfight, or passing vendors, all are welcome. Stay, don’t leave, the more people there are, the brighter the host’s face will be. Flower Dance Festival

This is the longest and largest Miao ethnic festival in Guanling, Guizhou. Festival. It is said to be an entertainment event for couples who have been barren for many years. Nowadays, the program is mostly held in the first month and lasts for about three days. During the day, there is singing and dancing. The old people gathered around the bonfire to drink and talk. Sometimes there were tens of thousands of people attending the meeting, including men, women and children.