Qiang wale foot Festival

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: waer foot festival of Qiang Nationality

Applicant: Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Item No.: 466

Project No.: Ⅹ - 18

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Sichuan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Protection unit: Maoxian Cultural Center

A brief introduction to the waer foot festival of Qiang Nationality:

Applicant: Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Qiang nationality is one of the ancient ethnic groups in China. They call themselves Erma people. They live close to mountains and are known as the ethnic group on clouds. They mainly live in Maoxian County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province. It has been a custom for thousands of years in xihuzhai and Hexi villages of Qugu Township in the north of Maoxian county. In order to sacrifice the goddess of song and dance in the sky, the activity of "wale foot" is held every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is commonly known as "Gexian Festival" or "Lingge Festival" in Chinese. It is also called "women's Day" by local people because it is a custom with Qiang women as the main role.

The main activity procedures of wale foot are as follows: 1. The activity procedures of the eve of wale foot: the women in the village gathered around the fire hall to make sun steamed buns, moon steamed buns and mountain shaped steamed buns (accompanied by uncle); uncle opened the altar and gave a speech; and made offerings. 2. The procedure of the day: to worship the goddess Liangzi (under the leadership of my uncle); to hold a ceremony of offering sacrifices and killing goats; to sing sutras, reward gods and pray for gods; to lead songs and lead dances; to tell the story of the singing and dancing goddess, sister Sharon, by the famous old mother in the village, so that people can understand the traditions of love, childbirth and housework; to cook and serve by men; to transmit songs and dances.

In the important activities of waer foot, uncle participated in them from beginning to end, which reflected the characteristics of great power of mother and uncle in Qiang women's group activities in ancient times, with a strong color of primitive matrilineal worship. It is of great value to study the cultural connotation and female customs of ancient Qiang Nationality. The folk culture and art displayed by varoku is also of great significance to the study of the development and evolution of the folk dance "Sharon".