Torch Festival of Bai Ethnic Group

Bai ethnic group of Zhangjiajie has lived in Wuling mountain area since Yuan Dynasty. They not only preserve their unique culture and customs, but also absorb advanced production technology and social culture from the Han people.

Release time : 2016-10-10 11:16:34

source : WTCF

torches, joss paper, incense, and offerings to pay homage to ancestors’ graves. First light a small torch, and then scatter some rosin on the tomb. People can go home after torches are completely burnt. If the graves are far away from home, they can also worship in the house.

Families will eat dinner in advance before sunset, and then watch torches and horse race. Adults and children riding a horse have to go three laps around a torch. The others will go door-to-door enjoying all the torches, and decide whose torch is exquisite and beauty. Before lighting all big torches in the village, young daughter-in-laws carrying newborn babies under an umbrella will run around the torch for three circles, which is said to bring good fortune and luck. At nightfall, old men in the village take the lead to make the sacrifice. Several brave and vigorous men will climb up the big torch one after another, and light the big torch at the top with a small torch.

Suddenly, the sky is filled with flames and smoke, and the festival is overwhelmed with drumbeats, firecrackers and cheers, what a spectacular scene! When the flame burns down the paper strips, people scramble to pick them up. The person who obtains them is considered to be blessed by god. People surround him and go home, and house owner uses tobacco, wine and tea to treat guests. For next year’s the torch festival, that person is responsible for preparing the paper strips.

The climax of the torch festival is playing a torch. The young men and women of Bai ethnic group are holding a small torch, and then pull out a handful of rosin and scatter on the torch to make a big sound, called "a toast". This is considered to shake off the bad luck from people, and offer them good fortune and luck. After "the toast", young men will carry the torches to the country area, which is known as a way of eliminating pests and blessing good harvests.

At the end of the torch festival is jumping the torch