Miao people's canoe Festival

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Miao people's canoe Festival

Applicant: Taijiang County, Guizhou Province

Project No.: 982

Project No.: Ⅹ - 75

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Guizhou Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Taijiang County, Guizhou Province

Protection unit: Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center of Taijiang County

Introduction to Miao's canoe Festival:

Applicant: Taijiang County, Guizhou Province

Taijiang Miao people's Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional festival of Guizhou Miao people. It is from May 24 to 27 of the lunar calendar. It is called "dabkiangvongx" in Miao language and transliterated as "qiainaoyong" in Miao language. It is popular on both sides of Qingshui River in Taijiang county and Shibing County, Guizhou Province, and on both sides of Bala River in Taijiang county. During the festival, the Miao people gathered in Tangba village, Shidong Town, the middle reaches of Qingshui River to hold a three-day dragon boat race. The race is grand in scale, warm in atmosphere, unique in etiquette, and is well-known, attracting tens of thousands of people to visit every year.

The Dragon Boat Festival reflects the witchcraft belief of Miao people. Miao people have lived in mountainous areas for generations, believing in witches and gods. When making dragon boats, they have to choose auspicious days to worship the gods of heaven, earth and mountains. The dragon boat used in the festival is between 24 and 27 meters long and weighs about 34 tons. The dragon body is made of three big trees with branches cut off. Generally, the big fir trees with a diameter of 1 meter and a height of more than 30 meters are used. The Miao nationality takes drum as the representative of the clan or tribe. The leader of each clan elected by democratic means is called "drum leader". Generally, he is an elder with the ability of organization and management and high prestige. Each dragon boat race of Shidong Miao nationality must be conducted under the leadership of the drum leader. When rowing dragon boat, "drum head" wearing hat, wearing ancient dress, sitting drum. The "girl" dressed as a boy is dressed in new clothes and silver ornaments, sitting opposite the "drum head" playing gongs. The 36 radial hands were all dressed in new national costumes, wearing a hat made of horsetail silk and suffixed with silver swallowtail. The oars lit the water and sang flying songs. They quickly rowed the dragon boat forward.

During the festival, Miao families in Taijiang and other places prepared chickens, ducks, geese and several hundred Jin rice to warmly receive visitors from all over the world, showing a simple, kind and hospitable fashion. The Dragon Boat events and etiquette in Miao's canoe culture show a strong regional ethnic style, which has important research value.