Composition on National Festivals (290 words)
There are 56 ethnic groups in China, and all 56 ethnic groups have their own characteristics and habits. For example, Mongolian White Festival, Tibetan Daughter's Day, Miao New Year's Day and so on. Then let me introduce you to the Yi Torch Festival!
Regarding the origin of the Torch Festival, the Yi people in southern Shandong said that there was a kind of magic jade in ancient times, which brutally persecuted the people, and the masses were so upset that they rose up and attacked it. However, the devil's fortress could not be attacked for a long time, so sheep attacked instead, that is, torches were tied to the horns and hind legs of each sheep to drive them away, and the result was victory. In order to commemorate the victory of this struggle, people celebrate each other by lighting torches on June 24 of each summer calendar, thus forming the Torch Festival.
In an interview before the Torch Festival, Pan Munai, a 42-year-old Yi, was intoxicated like a child.
"Every household should drink, poor villages kill two or three chickens, and rich villages kill a cow." He said, "The happiest things are dancing, watching horse racing and wrestling. How delicious! "
The brightness of the torch is not much worse than that of fireworks, which can make the whole place look like daylight. This is the characteristic of Torch Festival. Thousands or even tens of thousands of people lit the torch together, and the scene was spectacular.
As early as the first day of the Torch Festival, every household in Yi Nationality Village had to erect many torches in front of the door to prepare for activities. At the same time, choose an open space near the village, erect a pine tree with a length of 10 ~ 20m in the center of the ground, put a wooden stick with red paper flowers horizontally at the top of the pine tree, and pile a pagoda-shaped torch around the pine tree with flammable firewood as an activity place.
On the first day, there was a fire sacrifice. Every family walked around the field with torches, slaughtering cattle and sheep.
The second day is to spread the fire. On this day, men and women get together to choose their spouses and show their talents. So some people call it "the second Tanabata in China".
The last day is the third and last day of the Yi traditional torch festival. Yi people call it "Tussaud", which means "sending fire gods". In Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, the largest inhabited area of the Yi people in China, the tradition of Torch Festival, which has lasted for thousands of years, has been passed down under the constant impact of modern society in the annual torch carnival, Yi beauty pageant, wrestling, "Duoluo River" and other Yi characteristic activities.
In the evening, the host of the festival led the gongs and drums team to beat drums. Every household in the village heard the sound of gongs and drums and went out to light torches. Men, women and children gathered at the activity venue holding torches. After everyone arrived, the host gave the order, and everyone raised the torch and ran to the pagoda-shaped torch to light it. At that time, the flames were blazing and cheers were everywhere. Everyone held small torches around the big torch, danced "Harvest Dance", sang harvest songs, and sang and danced enthusiastically.
James EPP, an American tourist who watched the grand fireworks display on the carnival night, said, "These gorgeous fireworks are the most beautiful I have ever seen!" To celebrate the Torch Festival in China, he and his friends made a special trip from their hometown.
"In rural areas, no matter the elderly or babies, the interest in celebrating the Torch Festival remains unchanged. As soon as the festival is over, people from all directions will come back. " Pan Munai said.
Last year, Liangshan Yi Torch Festival became one of the first national intangible cultural heritages in China, and the protection and inheritance of this ancient cultural tradition attracted the attention of governments at all levels.
"The tradition of Torch Festival is in danger of being forgotten by young people." Barmore Ha, president of Liangshan Yi Society, believes that listing it as a national intangible cultural heritage is an education for Yi people, their descendants and local leaders, and it can also make the outside world pay attention to and protect it.
Torch Festival is the most solemn and lively festival of Yi people in China, which is usually held from June 24th to 26th in the lunar calendar every year. On the traditional Torch Festival, Yi people light torches and cruise around the houses and fields to avoid disasters and seek refuge and pray for happiness.