Customs of visiting relatives in Hongdong

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: the custom of visiting relatives in Hongdong

Applicant: Hongdong County, Shanxi Province

Project No.: 1003

Project No.: Ⅹ - 96

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Shanxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Hongdong County, Shanxi Province

Protection unit: Hongdong Cultural Center

A brief introduction to the custom of visiting relatives in Hongdong

Applicant: Hongdong County, Shanxi Province

The era of Yao and Shun, characterized by a complete system, has always been regarded as the starting point of Chinese civilization. The stories of Yao and Shun abdication, Yao's daughter and Shun's concubine have become popular throughout the ages. In Hongdong County, Shanxi Province, there are two secondary legends of Yao and Shun in yangyao and Lishan. They believe that yangyao, located in the valley basin on the East Bank of Fenhe River, is Yao's hometown, that is, the mother-in-law of e Huang and nvying; Lishan, located in the hilly area on the West Bank of Fenhe River, is Shun's hometown, and also the mother-in-law of the two goddesses. As a result, the residents of the two places and along the way call each other "relatives", which leads to the peculiar custom of "meeting aunts and welcoming ladies".

Every year on the second day of the third month of the lunar calendar before the Qingming Festival, the male dominated villagers of Yangli take out the sedan chairs of the two goddesses, e Huang and nvying, from the temple of the village with a grand ceremony. Then they go out of the village and cross the Fenhe River and rush to Lishan with the help of the guard of honor, the noisy "powerful gongs and drums" and the deafening sound of cannons. The next day, on the third day of the third month of the third lunar month, the group of relatives invited the two goddess statues out of the Lishan temple with a more solemn ceremony. They walked all the way back to Yanghu, passing through more than 20 villages. On the birthday of King Yao on April 28, Lishan people went to yangyao to pay homage to King Yao, and then welcomed the two goddesses back to Lishan. The journey was as lively as March 3. After the activities, farmers in the two places began to devote themselves to agricultural production.

The custom of taking relatives in Hongdong has been going on since ancient times. Through the belief of historical legends and the evolution of geographical relationship into blood relationship, it gradually shows that it has played a positive role in building a harmonious village relationship and enhancing the feelings between people. At the same time, this folk activity has important historical and folkloric research value.