Legend of Cowherd and Weaver Girl

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Legend of Cowherd and Weaver Girl

Applicant: Chang'an District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province

Project No.: 523

Project No.: i-36

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: Folk Literature

Region: Shaanxi Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Chang'an District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province

Protection unit: Doumen sub district office, Fengdong new town, Xixian New District

The legend of Cowherd and Weaver Girl

Applicant: Chang'an District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province

In the pre Qin period, Niulang and Zhinv appeared in ancient books and records as metaphorical associations in the form of stars, but they did not constitute a plot. At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, Niulang and Zhinv Xingxiu gradually evolved into folk myths and legends. In the third year of Yuanshou (120bc), Emperor Wudi of Han Dynasty, in order to train the water army, a Kunming pond was dug in the east of Fenghe River in Doumen, Chang'an. Stone statues of Cowherd and weaver girl were erected on both sides of the pond. The two statues were facing each other across the pond, reflecting the sky and the public opinion. Since then, folk activities with the theme of the story of Cowherd and weaver girl have become more active. Wei and Jin inherited the customs of Han Dynasty, and once set up the activity of "begging for cleverness", and then built the temple of Shipo in Tang Dynasty. After the Song Dynasty, the sacrificial activities of Shipo (Zhinu) and shiye (Niulang) were recorded in Chang'an local chronicles one after another. They not only preserved the love story between Niulang and Zhinu, but also made local characters (Sun Shouyi and sun Shouren), formed local characteristics, and even became auspicious symbols. They also compiled dramas such as "Tianhe Pei" in Qinqiang opera, and continued to perform all the year round. Today, the local people still widely spread the beautiful love story of Niulang and Zhinv, and the folk continue to inherit two kinds of temple fair activities: one is the sacrificial activities on the wedding day of Niulang and Zhinv on the 17th day of the first lunar month, and the other is the sacrificial activities on the meeting day of Niulang and Zhinv on the magpie bridge on the 7th day of the seventh lunar month. At that time, there will be an endless stream of people coming from all directions to catch up with the temple fair.

The legend of Cowherd and weaver girl has a long history and deep folk foundation, and has a wide cultural identity in the world Chinese cultural circle, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. Its great cultural value and positive social influence are as follows: 1. Legend reflects the development of productive forces and self-sufficient agricultural civilization in the farming society. 2. Legends and related folk activities complement each other and become an integral part of people's daily life. 3. The concept of love, marriage and family described in the legend, which reposes people's yearning and pursuit for a happy life, has a very important practical significance for building a harmonious family and a harmonious society. 4. The legend of Cowherd and weaver girl is an eternal theme in literary creation.