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Torch Festival is an ancient and important traditional festival of Yi, Bai, Naxi, Jinuo, Lahu and other ethnic groups. It has profound folk culture connotation and is well-known at home and abroad, and is called "Oriental Carnival". Different ethnic groups hold Torch Festival at different times, mostly on June 24th of the lunar calendar. The main activities are bullfighting, goat fighting, cockfighting, horse racing, wrestling, song and dance performances, beauty contests and so on. In the new era, Torch Festival has been endowed with new folk functions and produced new forms.

Every year, the Torch Festival on June 24th of the lunar calendar is a traditional New Year of the Yi people in Yunan, China, and also a festival of Stone Forest, because the reputation of Stone Forest is as famous as Ashima, a branch of the Yi people. On this day, tens of thousands of Yi men, women and children put on sewn new clothes early in the morning and walked briskly to Shilin grassland to sing and dance in various festive programs until the bonfire party in the evening, which was full of excitement all day.

2. Torch Festival Ethnic Groups

Torch Festival is a traditional festival of Yi, Bai, Naxi, Lahu, Hani and Pumi ethnic groups. Yi, Naxi and Jinuo nationalities are held on June 24th of the lunar calendar, Bai nationality on June 25th and Lahu nationality on June 2th. The festival lasts for two or three days.

III. Overview of Torch Festival Legends

First of all, the formation of the customs and legends of Torch Festival is related to the original worship of Yi people with the same ethnic origin, especially the belief in fire, that is, praying for the new year with sacred fire, and taking the color of fire as agriculture; taking the light and shade of the torch as the rich and sorry for the old age. In addition to the festival legends passed down orally by various ethnic groups, Chinese documents all say: Shi Lifei's Yunnan Department says: "The Torch Festival is the Star Festival. On June 25th, farmers hold torches to shine in the fields to pray for the New Year, which is natural in all provinces." Xu Yinfang's Five Miscellaneous? The test of the Star Festival also says: "The day of the festival is evening. In all households, trees are burned at the same time, and they are exposed to seclusion all over the room, mumbling to send poor words to drive away the epidemic, while farmers hold fire to shine on the fields to pray for the new year, graze and fish, and seek benefits in the light." "When the tree fell down and the door lay down, the man and the woman pulled their clothes across the fire, and the group congratulated each other:' The disaster star was removed, and the foul gas was solved.'" Yuan Jiagu, Shiping County Records? Tian wenzhi? Volume I of the Year-old Gate also said: "On June 25th, Zhu Tian was torched in the field, which was a year of prosperity. When it was bright, it was a disaster. The young people each burned torches to fight against each other to win or lose the village." In addition to the documentary records, in the Torch Festival activities of the Yi ethnic groups in Southwest China, the folk functions of fumigating the fields with fire to eliminate the special, expelling the epidemic, killing insects and protecting seedlings, urging seedlings to sprout, praying for a good harvest, attracting light and welcoming Furui are still maintained, and the folk psychology and belief concept during this period are to seek good fortune and avoid evil. The legend of Torch Festival in Liangshan Yi nationality reflects the primitive worship of fire as a supernatural force with mysterious factors, and still embodies the original ecological folklore genes of Torch Festival customs and legends. It belongs to the early form of Torch Festival customs, and its cultural core is fire worship, which is in the same strain as the cultural tradition of Yi people in Bianqiang system who worship fire.

Secondly, there are many different versions of the torch festival legend. Although the sources are different, they are all similar. The text structure of the story is based on the narrative program of the struggle between man and God → man conquers God → God retaliates → man conquers God again → celebrates victory and gains a bumper harvest. These different texts all have a strong humanistic spirit, and they all end in declaring the victory of man and the failure of God, which is different from the narrative mode dominated by God in mythology. With the development of society, the change of history, the shift of the core issues of human existence (from nature to society) and the intensification of contradictions and conflicts in class society, the legend of Torch Festival is closely intertwined with the vast and complex social life of all ethnic groups, and then becomes an oral narrative way to express ethnic contradictions and class contradictions. For example, the legends of various branches of the Yi people in Yunnan are the epitome of the struggle between the rulers and the ruled. There are not only magical stories praising King Samet's heroic and unyielding resistance to foreign invasion, but also directly describing the resistance struggle of Azhen, a slave with both wisdom and courage, who planned to kill slave owners and save his brothers. Such legends are secondary torch festival customs, with the theme of praising ancestors and heroes.

Furthermore, the penetration of traditional moral concepts into the customs and legends of Torch Festival is reflected in the intersection of female characters and Torch Festival legends. No matter the early magpie girl or later Anan and Mrs. Charity, most of them have the same fate. On the one hand, this kind of legend reflects the dark reality of national oppression and class oppression and the political conspiracy within the ruling class, on the other hand, it is the legend of a heroic woman who is "one woman is not more than two husbands", which is intended to show the virtue of chastity. From the magpie girl, Anan to the charity lady, we see the loyal images of being a martyr, a martyr and a martyr to the country. People closely link the fate of these kind and brave female characters with the legend of the Torch Festival, expressing people's feelings and wishes of "being virtuous but despising lewdness" in a specific historical period. This kind of legend should belong to a later generation, just as Mr. You Guoen's conclusion after textual research on the legend of Anan is the same: "If the Torch Festival started for charity, did it end at the turn of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties?" "Not from the Middle Ages, but from the late world."

In a word, from the formation and evolution of the torch festival legend, we can see different levels of historical accumulation, which is in step with the long-term development of this festival in southwest China. The legend of torch festival has been constantly evolving in its long-term circulation, and even affected the festivals and customs in some areas, making the original ecological "sacrificial" torch festival attached with the derivative meaning of "commemorative festival". For example, the legend of Heqing used impatiens for women on June 19th. According to legend, June 24th of the lunar calendar is the anniversary of human use of fire, and the Bai, Yi, Pumi, Naxi and other ethnic groups living in Yunnan have designated June 24th as the traditional Torch Festival, when various activities will be held to celebrate and plant the sun.

Every Torch Festival, the Bai and Yi people in the West Hill of Heqing hold a kind of "Sun" activity. On that day, people set up a big fire in the center of the "singing" field, and piles of dry wood were piled around the torch. A carefully selected, dry and flammable stump is planted in front of the torch as a symbol of the sun. When the sun sets, people who have already gathered in the venue each take a selected small stick and go to the "sun" in turn to "drill" wood to make a fire. No matter who "drills" out of Mars, people will flock to it and "pick up" the ignition seeds with grass wool and dry branches and leaves that have already been prepared. And try to move the fire to the woodpile and light it. Immediately, everyone lit fire from the fire with a small torch, and took it home to light the fire pond of each family, which was called "the sun". After the sun went down, people all gathered in the "singing" field and lit the fire again on the bonfire burning during the day. Subsequently, torches and fires were burned to "sing songs", praising the happiness that fire gave people all night.

2. Play with fire

On the night of Torch Festival, Bai and Naxi people who live in the foothills of Wufeng Mountain adjacent to Heqing and Lijiang will hold a fire-playing activity. People tie bunches of red flowers on all the big trees in the village, symbolizing that "the red flowers are burning like torches". On the occasion of the first star in the sky, people danced a small lighted torch, sang and danced, and sang praises around the "Red Flower and Fire Tree".

3. Sacrifice to Vulcan

On the Torch Festival, Pumi people living in ninglang county will hold an activity to worship Vulcan. According to legend, the Vulcan worshiped by Pumi people is called Anggumi, originally the female ancestor of Mosuo people. For the sake of the happiness of her descendants and Pumi people who live together with her ethnic group, she sneaked into the Heavenly Palace and stole the fire, and used her body as a torch to lead the fire to the world, so that Mosuo people and Pumi people got the fire at the same time. In order not to forget the kindness of Anggumi from generation to generation, Pumi people designated the day when Anggumi brought kindling as the Festival of Sacrifice to Vulcan.

In the early morning of the festival, people planted a big pine tree at the mouth of their respective villages, symbolizing the incarnation of Ang Gumi. Trees are covered with small torches, and how many people there are in the village, small torches corresponding to the population should be hung on the trees. In the afternoon, after the "incarnation" was sacrificed with sacrificial rites, the "incarnation" was lit by the oldest old woman in the village. Participants took a small torch from the "avatar" and lit it on the "avatar". Later, under the leadership of the old woman, everyone danced the Pot-Zhuang Dance around the "incarnation" and praised Ang Gumi's contribution to spreading the fire. After praising the "incarnation", everyone met in groups, danced torches and danced in villages, fields and mountains to sing loudly. Pray for the blessing of Ang Gumi, the God of Fire, and bless the whole village for human and animal prosperity, abundant grain, peace in the village and all the best ...

4. Dance and sing

Dance and sing. Huangping Township is a hot spot in Heqing County, with rich products. According to legend, the residents here are descendants of Kong Ming and Meng Huo who left the army here. This fertile soil was cultivated by Kong Ming and Meng Huo when they formed an alliance. And on the night of June 24th, the midnight oil was lit, and the seeds of five grains were sown for the first time, and the barren land has since become a fertile field. In order to commemorate this day, every day, future generations will light torches and fight the midnight oil to sow Xiaochun crops. At that time, old people and children danced torches, sang and danced around the fields, and young people planted seeds in the fields. Labor production and folk activities are integrated into one, and there is another flavor.

v. Legend of Torch Festival

As for the origin of Torch Festival, it is said that a long time ago, the gods sent two Hercules to the world to search for jewels, possessions and food. With the authority of the gods and their own strength, the two Hercules pushed down the houses of the unwilling people and lifted the cattle and sheep to death.

The people of the Yi people were miserable, so Attila Ba, a hero with both wisdom and courage, was elected as the commander-in-chief to lead everyone to fight against these two Hercules.

Attila Ba knows that great power and divine power are infinite, so you can only outwit them. One day, he led one of Hercules to the mountain and ran for nine days in kuya. It was not until Hercules was too tired to stand that he led the crowd to throw him to death at the foot of the mountain. Another Hercules ran back to the big court with great anger and ruin.

God was furious and immediately took out a small box and threw it to the world. It turned out that this box was full of locusts. As soon as the box was opened, the locusts rushed to Liangshan. The clever Attila immediately made torches out of pine branches and arrow bamboo, and the people rushed to follow suit. In an instant, the flaming torches were lit everywhere in the mountains, deep valleys and flat dams, killing all the locusts.

people defeated the gods, saved the crops and got a bumper harvest. It is said that this day falls on June 24th of the lunar calendar. Since then, Yi people have spent three days on this day every year, or from this day on, to light torches as a souvenir.

Legend of Torch Festival by Yi people in Liangshan

King Samei fought against the alien race, and his head was cut off. When the stars appeared, another head grew to fight with him. Finally, because of the traitor's betrayal, after cutting off his head and sweeping his neck with a sharp knife and grass, King Samui's head could never grow again and he could not be resurrected. It is said that the red spot on the sharp knife grass is red with the blood of King Samui. Later, on June 24th and 25th every year, the Samui people would light a torch to commemorate King Samui and look for his spirit.

Torch Festival is the biggest traditional festival of Yi people in Liangshan, Sichuan. At that time, every family drinks, eats tuo tuo meat, and kills animals to worship their ancestors. People wear new clothes and carry out cultural and sports activities with national characteristics. Men take part in bullfighting, sheep, chickens, horse racing and wrestling. Women sing, play the strings and play the yueqin. Swim the torch around the front and back of the house at night; On the third night, they traveled around Shan Ye in droves with torches, and then they gathered in one place to light bonfires, burn torches, drink, sing and dance, and played until the end of the morning.

The Torch Festival of Samei people by Samei branch of Yi people

A fan, a good god, stole the heavenly gate and sowed grains, which made the happy life on earth surpass the sky. The gods were furious and sent Hercules to vent their anger on the earth. Duo Ajazi hated Hercules for being overbearing, wrestled with him, threw Hercules to the ground, and pressed out a pit. Later, the rain turned into a long blue lake (Lunan Freshwater Lake). In order to commemorate this human hero, people held bullfighting, wrestling, slaughtering sheep, burning torches and other activities on June 24 of the lunar calendar to show their mourning.

The Torch Festival of Sani people by Sani branch of Yi nationality

The slave owner Nadiao put many poor brothers in prison, and the poor Azhen tied torches to the horns and rushed to the distant mansion, burning the slave owners and the ropes on the hands of the poor. In order to commemorate this victory, people raised their torches to March and follow the customs.

The Torch Festival of the Axi people by the Axi branch of the Yi nationality

There is a beautiful and capable girl in the Luowu Yi family, and she has long been in love with the Yi boy Along. However, men from 12 tribes nearby came to propose marriage one after another, and one of them said brutally that if he didn't promise, he would bloodbath the cottage and make the whole village suffer. The girl was helpless and promised to have a blind date on June 24. When the blind date came, the girl put on white clothes, a short black jacket, a flower apron on her chest and lit a big fire. The head of the twelfth department has also arrived. The girl took a deep look at Aaron and jumped into the fire. Aaron and several boys tried to hold her, but they only pulled off her skirts. People came from all directions, but she had died a double suicide. In memory of her, twelve boys lifted Daniel and pushed him to each other, in order to win by knocking him down. After that, kill cattle, drink, sing and dance. Later, the Yi family designated June 24th as the Torch Festival, and the skirts torn off by Aaron became the girdles of Yi women, and the smoke that burned the girl turned into the morning mist of the cottage. It is said that in the early morning when the magpies are singing, the girl's figure is faintly visible in the distance of Yishan, so people call her Magpie Girl.

The Magpie Girl of Luowu branch of Yi nationality

The goddess Lao Apu, jealous of the happy life on earth, sent an old celestial general to the earth and asked him to burn the earth into a sea of fire. God will come to the world and see a man carrying an older child on his back, but the younger child is leading him. He feels strange. After careful questioning, he knows that the child he is carrying is a nephew and the child he is leading is a son. Because his elder sister-in-law is dead, the man thinks that he should take good care of his nephew. God will be deeply moved by such human virtues, thinking that people are so kind-hearted that they can't bear to hurt them, so he told the man that God burned the world and asked him to tell people to light torches at the door in advance on June 25 to avoid disaster. So thousands of families lit torches that night, and the gods thought that people had already perished in the fire, so they fell into a deep sleep and never woke up. Later, the Naxi people designated this day as the Torch Festival.

The Legend of the Torch Festival by Naxi people

There lived a good man and an evil man on the mountain, and the evil man only ate people's eyes. On June 24th, the good man wrapped the goat horn with beeswax, lit the beeswax, and told the goat to look for the wicked. When the wicked saw the sparks, he thought that people would hit him with muskets, so he quickly hid in the cave and blocked the hole with stones. As a result, he was drowned by the water coming out of the cave. From then on, people no longer worry about evil people eating their eyes, so they can engage in production safely. Therefore, the Lahu people designated this day as Torch Festival.

The Legend of the Torch Festival by Lahu people

In addition to the legends of the Torch Festival by Bai and Yi people, there are also the legends of the famous Anan (that is, Man Anan), the legend of Mrs. Baijie and the charity husband.