How Do The Chinese Miao Worship Their Ancestors?
Residing in the mountainous areas of southwest China, the Miao minority group have their unique way to worship their ancestors. The grand Guzang Festival which happens once every 13 years always attracts lots of visitors to come from China and abroad. In the Chinese language, the word "Gu" means a bull, while "Zang" means guts of an animal.
One of the most important part of the festival is beating drums. A Miao drum is crafted with maple wood. People use cowhide to cover both ends of the drum. The Miao think the soul of their ancestors exists in this huge drum. So during the festival, they beat the drum very loudly to wake up their ancestors, who take part in their exciting worshiping ceremony.
The Miao use two different types of drums for their festival: double drums and single drums. The double drums comprise two identical drums which are 170 cm long and 30 cm in diameter. The double drums are usually kept by a couple who has been married for a long time but doesn't have a child. They believe worshiping the double drums can bring them children. On the day of festival, the double drums are taken out and used for the ceremony.
The Miao make a new single drum for each Guzang Festival. After the festival is over, they put the drum into a cave until it rots. The single drum is smaller than the double ones.
In the August before a Guzang festival, the Miao drag the old single drum out of the cave, then they will hold a praying ceremony. After that a new single drum is ready to be made.
Two years before the festival, people select an elderly and respectable man to be the leader, who presides over the worshiping ceremony. The man is responsible for choosing the sacred bulls. The sacred bulls are not allowed for farming, and they are fed carefully with good food until the ceremony.
The most conspicuous person during the festival is the leader in a special costume. He wears violet shirt, with some dried fish tied up around his head. This suggests that their ancestors ever resided along the Yangtze river in east China and lived on fishing.
The festival lasts 13 days. On the first few days of the festival, the Miao sing, dance, and hold numerous feasts to welcome friends and visitors from far away. They have meat and bean curd, but they are not allowed to eat vegetables.
There are a few more things you absolutely must know about the Miao GuZang festival, so visit my website below!
One of the most important part of the festival is beating drums. A Miao drum is crafted with maple wood. People use cowhide to cover both ends of the drum. The Miao think the soul of their ancestors exists in this huge drum. So during the festival, they beat the drum very loudly to wake up their ancestors, who take part in their exciting worshiping ceremony.
The Miao use two different types of drums for their festival: double drums and single drums. The double drums comprise two identical drums which are 170 cm long and 30 cm in diameter. The double drums are usually kept by a couple who has been married for a long time but doesn't have a child. They believe worshiping the double drums can bring them children. On the day of festival, the double drums are taken out and used for the ceremony.
The Miao make a new single drum for each Guzang Festival. After the festival is over, they put the drum into a cave until it rots. The single drum is smaller than the double ones.
In the August before a Guzang festival, the Miao drag the old single drum out of the cave, then they will hold a praying ceremony. After that a new single drum is ready to be made.
Two years before the festival, people select an elderly and respectable man to be the leader, who presides over the worshiping ceremony. The man is responsible for choosing the sacred bulls. The sacred bulls are not allowed for farming, and they are fed carefully with good food until the ceremony.
The most conspicuous person during the festival is the leader in a special costume. He wears violet shirt, with some dried fish tied up around his head. This suggests that their ancestors ever resided along the Yangtze river in east China and lived on fishing.
The festival lasts 13 days. On the first few days of the festival, the Miao sing, dance, and hold numerous feasts to welcome friends and visitors from far away. They have meat and bean curd, but they are not allowed to eat vegetables.
There are a few more things you absolutely must know about the Miao GuZang festival, so visit my website below!
About the Author:
Author C. Liu has been studying 925 silver jewelry, for years. She occasionally promotes the work of select silversmiths. Go to her website to view some excellent fine silver jewelry.
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