Nuwa Festival

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Nuwa Festival

Applicant: Shexian County, Hebei Province

Project No.: 486

Project No.: Ⅹ - 38

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Hebei Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Shexian County, Hebei Province

Protection unit: Shexian Cultural Center

Brief introduction of Nuwa ceremony

Applicant: Shexian County, Hebei Province

Shexian county is located in the southwest of Hebei Province, at the junction of Shanxi, Hebei and Henan provinces. On the ancient Zhonghuang mountain, 10 kilometers west of the city, there is a wa palace, covering an area of 550 mu. The main buildings are Chaoyuan palace, tinggu palace, Guangsheng palace and wa palace, which are divided into two groups: the upper and the lower part of the mountain. The middle part is connected by Shibapan mountain road.

It is said that the 18th day of the third month of the lunar calendar is the birthday of Nu Wa. Therefore, from the first to the 18th day of the third month of the lunar calendar, people from Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan provinces come to pay homage to Nu Wa, which has formed the far-reaching Temple fair of Wa palace, which has a history of more than 1000 years. The main contents of the worship activities include people's sacrifice, public sacrifice and worship. The legend of Nuwa and its related folk customs, such as marriage, childbirth, life etiquette, year and season celebration, constitute a peculiar folk cultural phenomenon. Many village names and place names in Shexian county are related to Nuwa culture, for example, tanyin village is related to Nuwa's creation of Sheng Guan, Mopan village is related to Nuwa's creation of man, etc.

Protecting and carrying forward Nuwa culture plays an important role in inheriting Chinese civilization, promoting national integration, strengthening national cohesion, and stimulating people's entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, it has the research value of mythology, folklore, sociology, folk literature and art, and religion teaching. Now the Nuwa Festival is declining, and only a few old people have mastered the props, musical instruments and ritual process of the people's sacrifice. The contents of life etiquette and customs are constantly weakening, which is in urgent need of rescue and protection.