男女羞羞视频在线观看,国产精品黄色免费,麻豆91在线视频,美女被羞羞免费软件下载,国产的一级片,亚洲熟色妇,天天操夜夜摸,一区二区三区在线电影

Rhythms of tradition

Updated: 2012-01-02 11:25

By Cui Meng (China Daily)

  Comments() Print Mail Large Medium  Small

The Miao drum festival moves to the beat of the ethnic group's past and present culture. Cui Meng reports.

Guzang Festival, the most ancient and spectacular Miao festival in Guizhou province, was celebrated from Nov 10 to Nov 12 in Leishan county's Taoyao Miao village. Leishan, located in the southwest of the Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, is where most of the Miao ethnic group lives.

Rhythms of tradition

An elderly Miao man and his grandson play in the open air in Taoyao Miao village on Nov 10. [Photo by Cui Meng / China Daily]

According to ancient Miao songs, the festival was celebrated by early Miao clans in the Xia Dynasty (c.21st century-16th century BC). It became even more popular after the Miao migrated to the Leigong Mountains in today's Leishan county.

"Gu" literally means "drum", and "zang" means "to bury". Hence, "guzang" means "to bury the drum".

The Guzang Festival is also known as Gushe Festival, indicating the drum-burying activities often took place in communities of kindred clans named "Gushe".

The ancient Miao songs also suggest their ancestors established the Guzang Festival to sacrifice to the Mother Butterfly, who created the world. Legend has it that Mother Butterfly was born out of a maple tree. Consequently, maple trees and Mother Butterfly are worshiped as the Miao's most venerated gods.

The Miao believe wooden drums made of maple trees are where their ancestors' souls rest.

Rhythms of tradition

Miaowomen wear silver headwear in Xijiang Qianhu Miao village in Guizhou on Nov 10, 2011. [Photo by Cui Meng / China Daily]

Ancestor worship was passed down for centuries and gradually evolved into drum worship.

Different villages host the festival every 12 years in a 13-year cycle.

The celebration lasts about four days, and has a different theme ritual every year.

The rites are complicated and consist of a series of great ceremonies. These include the zhaolong (inviting the dragon), xinggu (awakening the drum), yinggu (welcoming the drum), shenniu (examining the cattle), and the white drum ritual, which is a significant sacrifice that officially ends the festival.

During Guzang, the Miao gather under the holy maple and communicate with their ancestors through drumming and dancing.

The festival reflects the Miao's social values. These include ancestor worship, harmonious community, hard work, austerity, peace and happiness.

It has practical value for the study of the Miao's history and contemporary culture.

Rhythms of tradition

Miao people watch buffalo fights during Guzang. [Photo by Cui Meng / China Daily]

   Previous Page 1 2 Next Page  

主站蜘蛛池模板: 邵阳县| 马尔康县| 恩平市| 军事| 金华市| 竹溪县| 赤水市| 腾冲县| 萨迦县| 永寿县| 雷山县| 衡阳市| 平乐县| 桐庐县| 彩票| 庆元县| 甘谷县| 屏东市| 平遥县| 松潘县| 三穗县| 宜章县| 当涂县| 丰台区| 岳阳市| 溆浦县| 沂南县| 中阳县| 禹州市| 东乌珠穆沁旗| 商洛市| 曲阜市| 营口市| 安陆市| 巴里| 黄大仙区| 固始县| 措美县| 万源市| 喀什市| 综艺| 长沙县| 吉林市| 依兰县| 威信县| 南皮县| 亚东县| 凤城市| 左云县| 田东县| 呈贡县| 泸州市| 甘肃省| 大城县| 东方市| 丰原市| 十堰市| 嘉兴市| 读书| 东源县| 宝应县| 商水县| 呼图壁县| 多伦县| 牡丹江市| 高唐县| 定结县| 昂仁县| 英吉沙县| 仙游县| 河曲县| 蒲江县| 陆良县| 巨野县| 抚顺市| 横山县| 上高县| 扎兰屯市| 西乌| 通化县| 铁岭县| 沁源县|