Yongning Bazi
Our ancestors have lived in Yongning since they moved from the distant Han Dynasty, living in this peaceful and tranquil Bazi, and gradually became an authentic Mosuo family. This is a magical land, surrounded by mountains and with an extremely clear river running through it. "The clouds are floating on the Lion Mountain, and the long dragon is lying under the Kaiji Bridge" well summarizes the general characteristics of Yongning Bazi.
Yongning Bazi is named after it is a small plain in the plateau. Standing in front of the house and looking at Yongning Bazi, Bazi is a small disk surrounded by mountains, and the surrounding mountains are the edges of the disk. These mountains add a lot of magical colors to Yongning Bazi.
To the east is Lion Rock, also known as Gemu Goddess Mountain. The fame of Gemu Goddess Mountain needs no introduction. Every day, the sun rises over Lion Rock. Standing on the bridge in front of my house, the Lion Rock looks like a sitting and lying lion, looking at my home. From the lion's lying posture and face, we can see that he is a kind lion, but his burly body also has an aura that can intimidate others, guarding Yongning Bazi day and night. Lion Rock is really a magical mountain in my memory.
When I was a kid, we would often go to the village playground to play during the Chinese New Year. I remember one time we played until late at night. It was a night when the moon was high and we could walk freely without using a flashlight. We children were sitting on a haystack, and the aunt who was playing with us pointed at the middle between the top of Lion Rock and the top of Bamboo Mountain, letting us see the auspicious clouds there. The clouds are changing at any time, taking the shape of various animals, cows, horses, sheep... Lion Rock is also Ayi's weather forecast. Whenever the clouds wrap around the mountainside of Lion Rock, Ayi will say, today is a good day. On a cloudy day, when these clouds gradually move up to cover the lion's head, Ayi knows that it is going to rain, and the food drying in the yard must be collected as soon as possible.
Speaking of Ayi, you can tell the weather by looking at the mountains. There is a mountain behind my house, which is called "Naci" in Mosuo language. This mountain has never given me a good impression. I have not been near that mountain. I feel that this mountain is very far away from me, but at a glance, it makes me feel that it is very far away. And so close. Whenever it starts to rain on that mountain, it means that a heavy rain is coming, and the rain will fall quickly and take people by surprise. The tall corns will face the attack of a heavy rain, and the accompanying strong wind will make them fall to one side. After the heavy rain and strong wind, farmers can only prop up the corn stalks to reduce their losses.
There is a sacred mountain next to Naci - Anshan. This is a happy mountain. It is said that in ancient times, an eminent monk flew back after attaining enlightenment and stayed there to rest. Since then, Anshan has become mysterious. On the hillside behind the house, there is also a walking stick that the eminent monk inserted into the soil when he passed the land. This walking stick sucked the nutrients of the land to survive, and has now grown into an old tree. In the valley below Anshan, there are walnut trees and pear trees planted by the villagers. In the past, during the Mountain Festival, we would have picnics in the woods, and people and horses crowded the valley. I remember that it must rain on the day of the Zhuanshan Festival. The yellow soil was stepped on very finely, and the slender mugwort was twisted and twisted by the steps, and it was covered with mud. Anyone who stepped on the mugwort would be splashed with mud. The mountain spring flowing out of Anshan is also regarded as sacred water by people. When you are tired from climbing or on a hot day, drinking the ice-cold mountain spring here always refreshes you. When you go to Anshan, you always have to pick up a bottle of mountain spring to refresh yourself. Families who cannot come to Anshan for a picnic also have access to purified water.
There is also a sacred mountain in the south. I can’t say which mountain specifically, but it is said to be the final residence of the eminent monk who stayed in Anshan to rest. I have never been to that area, but I only know that all the bamboo needed in the dam comes from there, with abundant water and dense forests. There is a dragon cave at the foot of the mountain in that area, and three rivers nearby form the Kaiji River.
The mountains surrounding Yongning Bazi protect the people living here day and night, giving them a sense of security, and their rich mythology gives the people here a sense of ritual. In the lonely days far away from civilization, the ancient people found happiness and the meaning of life, and created melodious historical songs. This land has also deposited the culture of the Mosuo people who live on this land, and has given birth to kind and hard-working Mosuo people.