Dragon Lion
How Chinese Miao people celebrate their new year and other interesting holidays?
Who are the Miao?
Inhabiting the mountainous south and southwestern China, the Miao like to enjoy themselves during their happy holidays. They sing, dance, and enjoy big meals with friends together. For young people, holidays are a good occasion to look for their significant other. Girls are especially beautiful on such occasions, with their huge sets of silver jewelry and embroidered garments.
The Miao New Year
Because they follow the lunar calendar, the Miao New Year can come in September, October, or November. Before the New Year, people give their house a general cleaning, and prepare some special food like rice wine, bean curd, and sticky rice paste. Women are usually busy sewing new clothes for their family.
Everyone stays up until midnight on New Year's Eve, then they take dragons into their home by lighting firecrackers. A ceremony will be held at dawn to worship their forefathers. Some people put wine on the nose of a cow to show their respect for this diligent animal. After breakfast, people go to see their neighbors and say to each other "Happy New Year!".
On the first two days of the New Year, cutting woods on the mountains, or any cleaning work at home is strictly prohibited. Women won't do housework like cooking, and men do.
Girls dress up with beautiful silver ornaments and embroidered garments to go to meet the boys. Some young males walk farther to other villages to attend various kinds of social activities.
The Miao fully enjoy themselves during 9 days of new year. Lots of people get married at this time.
Huashan Festival
There are various Huashan, or “Flower Mountain,” festivals held in different Miao areas. Some occurs in May, while others in August or January on the lunar calendar.
On that day, people will adorn a pole with colorful flags and place it at the center of a playground. A small red bag with money inside is placed at the top of the pole. A man declares the beginning of the festival, and a pole climbing game starts. The man who first reach the tip of the pole and catch the small bag, while playing his Lusheng instrument, will gain the reward. It's hard to climb a pole with playing an instrument at the same time! Made from peeled pine timber, the pole is slender, smooth, and long. The champion will be able to get the respect of other people, especially the single women.
During the festival, people also have other sports, such as archery and horse races held. Women like to show others their outstanding sewing skills and the men compete with their pals to see who has the terrific physical strength.
Single young people will use the occasion to sing love song and look for lovers. And swap presents between each other when they find their lovers. Older people go to see friends, and may talk about many things like fishing and farming. The festival lasts a whole day and ends in the late evening.
Sister Festival: Miao Valentine’s Day
The Miao Sister Festival is also called Miao Valentine’s Day, as it’s a holiday for single women to invite young men from other villages to meet. The festival falls on mid-March of the lunar calendar.
On March 13th, Miao girls go to the mountains to pick special leaves and flowers used as food dyes. They then cook colorful, sweet, and delicious glutinous rice. The rice has five beautiful and bright colors. Green symbolizes their beautiful hometown, red indicates the prosperity of their village, yellow wishes for a golden harvest, blue or violet stands for wealth, and white implies their pure and true love.
The second day they go fishing to find some shrimp and fish. After get some duck and duck eggs, they will cook a big meal in the afternoon. Their meal can't lack the duck, because a swimming duck means the girls are able to meet men from the other side of the river.
In the evening, when the men finally come, they will dine together, then go outside to talk and sing songs to express their feelings. The girls will be sure to wear their most beautiful silver jewelry like silver bracelets, as this is a symbol of beauty and status in Miao culture.
This Miao festival lasts four days, until March 17th. Various games and activities are held during this time, like horse races, bullfights, song competitions, and so on.
Before the men go back to their home, the girls will present them bamboo baskets with duck, eggs, fish, and glutinous rice. They may put some special things in the basket to tell how they feel about the men. Cotton means they will miss the men who go back home. A pack of pine leaves suggests that they want men to send them some needles and thread as present. Pepper or garlic tells their relationship is over.
The men will bring some silk in these baskets for the girls when they come again next year.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival falls on May 5 of the lunar calendar, and thousands of people gather together to watch the exciting boat races. The competing teams row their boats in the shape of dragons on a river or lake, while drums are beat and loud firecrackers are set off from the banks.
April 8 Festival
The April 8th festival is held to remember the Miao’s hero Yanu, who died on this day while fighting against an invading tribe. Some tradtional activities will be held such as playing Lusheng music, singing, dancing, and performing the lion dance.
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