Introduction: Influenced by the custom of the Guangxi Song Fair on March 3, Guangxi is known as the "Sea of ??Songs". In particular, the Zhuang people have several regular folk song gatherings every year. Therefore, the Zhuang people have been I have always been very good at singing, but does anyone know when the Guangxi Song Fair is held on March 3rd? Let’s find out when the Guangxi March 3rd Song Festival starts.
The Guangxi March 3rd Song Fair was established in the Song Dynasty and has a history of thousands of years. It is reported that in the "Taiping Huanyu Ji" written by the Song Dynasty, there are records of Zhuang people "men and women dressed in fine clothes... gathering to compose songs". After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the development of Zhuang folk songs was particularly prominent, and song gatherings became very popular. By the Qing Dynasty, a large-scale "song market" with hundreds or even thousands of people gathering to sing was formed.
The origin of the custom of the Guangxi Song Fair Festival on March 3rd
The third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, commonly known as "March 3rd", is the day when the Zhuang people hold a song fair. Therefore, it is also called Gepo Festival (Song and Dance Festival).
"Gexue" is the Chinese name given to the Zhuang people by foreigners. In Zhuang language, it is called "Huanlongdong", which means songs sung in the fields; some places are called "Huanwogan". It means a song sung outside the cave. Because in the past, Zhuang people rarely built temples, and their statues were kept in caves. The cave is a sacred place and must be kept solemn. Only outside the cave can one sing freely.
"Nowadays, the sea of ??songs in Guangxi has been passed down by the third sister personally." This folk song lyric circulated in Guangxi shows that the origin of the Zhuang Song Fair is closely related to the singing fairy Liu Sanjie.
It is said that Liu Sanjie was from the Tang Dynasty and was born in a fisherman's family in Yishan, Guangxi. She has loved singing folk songs since she was a child. As an adult, she has a beautiful appearance and can sing songs from her mouth. There was a rich man nearby, Mo Huairen, who wanted to rob Sanjie Liu to marry him. Sanjie Liu refused to obey, so Mo Huairen ordered someone to throw Sanjie Liu into the river. Sanjie Liu drifted down the river to Liuzhou, where she was fortunately rescued and lived at the foot of Yufeng Mountain. After hearing the news, the villagers came to learn songs one after another. Later, she married a young hunter and has been singing songs here. After Mo Huairen learned about it, he colluded with the government and threw Sanjie Liu and his wife into the Xiaolong Pond at the foot of Yufeng Mountain. In the middle of the night, under a sparse moon and stars, when the villagers fished the two of them out, there was a sudden breeze, and they saw Sister Liu and the young hunter riding on the back of a fish, singing and flying away in the air. From then on, people said that Liu Sanjie had become an immortal, so they called Liu Sanjie the Singing Immortal. In order to commemorate this singer, later generations sang folk songs for three days and three nights on March 3rd of the lunar calendar every year, the day when Sanjie Liu became an immortal. The song fair was thus formed.
Every time during the song fair, young men and women put on festive costumes and gather in the mountains and wilderness or on the bamboo forest and grass slopes to sing impromptu duets, answering each other's questions, and the songs come and go. In the song market, the diligent and intelligent Zhuang people created rich and colorful folk songs, making this traditional national festival full of charming phonology.
The "March 3rd" activities in various parts of Guangxi have their own characteristics
Han Deming, former vice president of the Guangxi Institute of Ethnic Culture and Art, said that "March 3rd" activities in various parts of Guangxi have " "March 3" has its own characteristics. For example, Wuming will hold special folk rituals locally. If you want to experience the Zhuang people’s unique rituals and celebration methods for March 3rd, this is a good choice. In addition, the Yufeng Song Fair in Liuzhou has a long history. Since the Tang Dynasty, during every holiday, folk singers have spontaneously sang folk songs together at the foot of Yufeng Mountain, beside Xiaolongtan, and in the People's Square, attracting a large number of onlookers to join in. The scene was jubilant and lively, and many ancient folk songs were preserved and passed down because of the existence of the song fair.
The Sanjiang Dong people’s fireworks competition has a history of hundreds of years. Every year on March 3rd, every village begins to organize fireworks competitions. Firecrackers are small iron rings wrapped with red cloth (or red silk). They are placed on the top of the iron cannon, and then lit and fired. The small iron ring rushes into the air. When the "firecrackers" land, the scheduled personnel will fight hard to grab them. The winner is the one who delivers the fireworks to the designated location. The person who grabs the fireworks is equivalent to grabbing the "jackpot", which means good luck and happiness. The winner can also get rewards such as pigs, sheep, red eggs, wine and mirror screens; the fireworks are divided into first, second and third guns. In some places There are also four-cannon and five-cannon firecrackers. The competition for fireworks and firecrackers is limited to men. They often form teams within a family, clan or village. Teams can also be formed freely across villages.
The "March 3rd" festival in Jingxi, Debao, Napo and other places is mainly about offering sacrifices.
Lu Xiaoqin, an associate professor at the School of Liberal Arts of Guangxi University for Nationalities, said that on March 3rd, people in these places will get up early and bring sacrificial supplies to worship their ancestors' tombs. At noon, they will choose to have a meal in front of a certain ancestor's tomb. "This kind of dinner party is very harmonious and can increase the sense of identity and family between each other." Lu Xiaoqin said. In terms of food, local glutinous rice comes in four or five colors. Some villages have the custom of putting a fried egg on top of each bowl of glutinous rice.
What customs and habits do people of all ethnic groups have on March 3rd?
1. Han people
On March 3rd, the Han people, in addition to offering sacrifices In addition, in the later period, it gradually developed into folk activities such as playing by the river, meeting men and women, planting willows and admiring flowers. At the same time, this festival is also a day for men and women to go on an outing. It is also known as China's Valentine's Day and Women's Day.
2. Li people Shanlan rice wine, bamboo tube rice and rice dumplings come from all directions to the meeting point to worship the ancestors.
3. Miao Nationality
March 3rd is the Miao Nationality’s Valentine’s Day. On this day, Miao girls dress up in costumes and come to a fixed place to show off their beauty. The young men are also waiting for this day. They will have the opportunity to meet many girls, sing, dance and fall in love with them.
4. Zhuang Nationality
During March 3rd, Zhuang people mostly go to the singing fair, build singing booths, and hold singing parties. Young men and women sing to each other, bump eggs, and throw embroidered balls. According to legend, March 3rd is a festival formed to commemorate the Zhuang singer Liu Sanjie, so it is also called the Song Fairy Festival.
5. Yao Nationality
Also known as "Ganba Festival", Ganba Festival is a festival for collective fishing and hunting of the Yao people. At dawn, adult men of the Yao people hold bows, crossbows, muskets, and bring Baba After setting off on a fishing and hunting trip at dawn, the women who stayed behind killed chickens and ducks at home, made glutinous rice, and prepared sumptuous festival food.