Torch Festival (Yi Torch Festival)

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Torch Festival

Applicant: Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Project No.: 458

Project No.: X - 10

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Sichuan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Protection unit: Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center

Torch Festival (Torch Festival of Yi nationality)

Applicant: Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Torch Festival is a traditional festival in all Yi areas, popular in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other Yi areas. Bai, Naxi, Jinuo and Lahu also celebrate this festival.

The torch festival on June 24 of the lunar calendar is the most grand, grand and Ethnic Festival in Chuxiong and Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Torch Festival is also known as Xinghui festival in ancient times. Some scholars believe that this festival was originally a festival of the Yi People's October calendar. Torch Festival is the first half of the new year's day, so it is also known as the new year.

Some scholars believe that the origin of Torch Festival is related to people's worship of fire, and its purpose is to use fire to drive insects and protect crops. During the torch festival, dry pine and songmingzi are used to make a big fire in each village. Small torches are set up in front of each house and lit at night. At the same time, people hold small torches around the fields and houses for a week to insert torches and songmingzi in the corners of the fields. Young men and women in the village fire around the singing, dancing, all night. During the festival, there are horse racing, bullfighting, archery, wrestling, tug of war, swing and other recreational activities, as well as trade fairs.

During the torch festival, there are four kinds of activities: sacrifice, literature and sports, social communication and product exchange, which are the concentrated embodiment of the integrity and completeness of the Yi cultural system. The torch festival of Yi nationality has a long history, broad mass base, wide coverage and far-reaching influence. Torch Festival fully embodies the national character of Yi people who respect fire and revere fire, retains the ancient information of the origin and development of Yi people, and has important historical and scientific value; torch festival is one of the most symbolic symbols of Yi traditional culture, and also the carrier of Yi traditional music, dance, poetry, diet, clothing, farming, astronomy, worship and other cultural elements; torch festival is of great significance to the strong At the same time, the torch festival has a practical role in the communication between Yi people and other nationalities and in promoting national unity.