Dragon Boat Festival (Xisai Shenzhou Festival)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Dragon Boat Festival

Applicant: Huangshi City, Hubei Province

Project No.: 451

Project No.: Ⅹ - 3

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Hubei Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Huangshi City, Hubei Province

Protection unit: Huangshi Mass Art Museum

Dragon Boat Festival (Xisai Shenzhou Festival)

Applicant: Huangshi City, Hubei Province

Xisai Shenzhou Festival is a traditional festival held by daoshibi villagers in Xisai mountain area of Huangshi City to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. The main activities include making Shenzhou, singing opera, touring, sending Shenzhou into the water and other ceremonies and activities. From the beginning of the Dragon Boat ceremony on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, when Buddha was born, to the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, when Taoist priest presided over the ceremony to open the boat, until the official meeting of the Shenzhou Festival from May 15 to 18, the whole activity calendar is 40 days, which is a long time blessing activity in the Dragon Boat Festival in China.

During the Shenzhou Festival, local people sang Chu opera day and night, and people from four townships and eight mountains came to Shenzhou to make a wish for happiness. At 8:00 a.m. on May 16 of the lunar calendar, every household will hang Acorus calamus and Artemisia argyi leaves at the door, set up a incense table at the door, light incense candles, and put wine, tea, rice, fruit and other offerings. At every house, villagers set off firecrackers to welcome them, sprinkle tea and rice, and worship them. On the 17th night of may in the lunar calendar, 48 Changming lanterns were lit for Shenzhou to hold a vigil all night. On the morning of May 18 of the lunar calendar, the Shenzhou came out of the palace. Taoist priests and all members of the Shenzhou society jointly opened the way for the Shenzhou. 16 young men carried the Shenzhou into the river and let the current carry the dragon boat down the river and into the sea. At this time, many fishing boats on the river set up incense and firecrackers in the bow of the boat and circled the Shenzhou three times to see off. On the levee where Shenzhou enters the river, there are thousands of villagers kneeling down to worship Shenzhou, praying that Shenzhou will take away disease, plague and disaster, hoping for good luck, happiness and well-being in the whole year.

The people spontaneously organized the Shenzhou festival to hold traditional folk cultural activities with the theme of eliminating disasters and diseases, seeking peace and health, and prolonging life. Shenzhou Festival is the most spectacular folk event in the Dragon Boat Festival, which has a history of more than one thousand years. This activity has a large scale and a deep mass foundation, which has been passed on continuously. It has concentrated and vividly expressed the content of the ancient folk dragon boat festival customs, and has valuable cultural value. Since the combination of the legend of commemorating Qu Yuan with the Dragon Boat Festival, especially after the founding of the people's Republic of China, the activities of Shenzhou Association have also been associated with the legend of mourning Qu Yuan, which has injected new vitality into the traditional festivals. During the Shenzhou Festival, the mass cultural activities are rich and colorful. The elaborate pavilions and pavilions, carved beams and painted buildings are exquisite, magnificent, characteristic and of high artistic value.