Mulao Nationality

Mulao people call themselves different from him.

Most Mulao people call themselves "Ling", and a few areas call themselves "Jin" or "locals". The Han people call them "Mulao" and the Zhuang people call them "Bujin" in Zhuang language. In historical records, "Mu Lao" or "Mu Lao" is written.

Mulao nationality was gradually formed in the long history. Before the Yuan Dynasty, history books often referred to Mulao nationality

The Mulao Nationality and "Ling" or "Liao" were called together, and the ancestors of the Mulao Nationality belonged to the Liao nationality, which was generally called the minority nationality at that time. The address of Liao nationality appeared in the Han Dynasty. Hanshu · biography of Southwest Yi people called the main ethnic group in Yelang as "Yi Liao". After the Jin Dynasty, similar titles can be seen everywhere in the literature, involving the Liao nationality in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi and other places, and the titles of "Liao people", "Liao Zi", "Tu Liao", "Yi Liao", "Sheng Liao", "Shan Liao" and "Dong Liao" appeared. The Liao nationality on the border of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces is known as "Ge Liao", "Shou Gong Liao", "Yi Zi", etc. As for "Liao", many scholars believe that he is the descendant of "Luo", while "Luo" is regarded as another title of "Yue". The "Yue" is a large ethnic group in southern China. It has been migrating from the spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period to the Qin and Han Dynasties.

In the Han Dynasty, the title of "Luo" was no longer used in historical records, but changed to "Liao". During the more than 1000 years from the Han Dynasty to the Tang and Song Dynasties, Liao nationality was regarded as the general name of southwest ethnic minorities, with a wide range of activity areas. Mulao Nationality belongs to one of them. According to the general annals of Guangxi published by Jiajing of the Qing Dynasty, "Tianhe Liao is in the east of the county, also known as Mulao." according to the collection of ancient and modern books, "Tianhe county is divided into four townships, and there are eight kinds of Xianling in the east of the county, which are called Mulao." all indicate the direct relationship between "Liao", "Ling" and "Mulao". The name of Mulao has been clearly recorded in the historical records of the Yuan Dynasty, such as "Mulao", "mulou Miao", "mulou", etc. After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the names "Mulao", "Mulao" and "Mulao" were successively seen in historical records.

In 1956, after national identification, the State Council officially recognized Mulao nationality.

The ancient ancestors of Mulao nationality, like the ancestors of other nationalities, created a splendid prehistoric culture. In 1958, a complete skull without mandible, four thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae and five ribs were excavated in the cave next to Tongtianyan, Xinxing farm, Liujiang county. It belongs to the ancient human in the late Paleolithic age 50000 years ago, namely "Liujiang people". From the cultural relics found nearby at the same time as the "Liujiang people", the primitive people at that time lived in the stone cave near the mountain and river, lived by collecting plants and animals, and entered the stage of eating cooked food with fire. Everyone worked together, distributed equally, and lived in a primitive commune centered on the matriarchal clan. From 1965 to 1973, archaeologists excavated 18 human skeletons, known as Zengpiyan man, within 60 square meters of Zengpiyan in Dushan, southern Guilin. Burials include squatting with bent limbs, lateral bending limbs, secondary burials, etc. In the cultural accumulation layer with a thickness of 2.6m, there are fire ponds, ash pits, stone axes, stones, stone spears, perforated stone tools, grindstones, pottery pots, pottery kettles, pottery urns, bone darts, bone arrowheads, bone cone needles, as well as a large number of snail clam pottery pieces and animal bones. Having the technology of grinding stone tools shows that Zengpiyan man was in the new age. The cultural relics unearthed in Zengpiyan show that people at that time had pottery, which could better cook food, which was conducive to people's health and longevity. Livestock have been raised, and 67 pig bones have been unearthed. From the combination of age and tooth abrasion, these pigs are slaughtered after feeding. Primitive hoe farming has emerged: stone axes and stones are tools for farming; Stone knives and clam knives are harvesting tools, and stone mills are grain processing tools. After multi-disciplinary comprehensive research, experts believe that Zengpiyan people are closely related to Liujiang people; The indigenous peoples in Guangxi include Mulao nationality, whose ancient ancestors are the Zengpiyan people, while the ancestors of the Zengpiyan people are the Liujiang people.

At the end of the Warring States period, the ancestors of Mulao nationality living in the west of Lingnan belonged to the Luo Yue nationality in Xi'ou. According to the book of the Han Dynasty, "there are western Ou in the West and the barbarians in the West. Most of them win, and they are called the king in the south." it also contains: "Luoyue people, father and son, bathe in the same river and learn to drink with their nose." the Qin Dynasty was established to unify Lingnan. The ancestors of Mulao Nationality joined other ethnic groups in Lingnan to enter the national family of the motherland, which is collectively known as Liao. In the Han Dynasty, a large number of Han people entered Lingnan area, brought advanced production technology and accelerated the political and economic development of Lingnan area. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the central dynasty implemented Jimi policy in Lingnan minority areas, set up dozens of Jimi prefectures and counties, and appointed local minority leaders as chief officials. The policy adopted by the central dynasty was that as long as they recognized the political power of the central dynasty, obeyed the dispatch and fulfilled their obligations, they could inherit their posts from generation to generation and enjoy relevant treatment, but also retain the local social system and economic structure. During this period, the social economy of the "Liao" in Lingnan, the ancestor of Mulao nationality, was further developed, cattle farming began to appear, and rice farming technology was improved. The technologies of smelting, gold panning, pottery making and copper mining in handicraft industry have reached a fairly high level, and a kind of "Liao" cloth has been produced as an exchange for agricultural and sideline products. In the Jin Dynasty, the ancestors of Mulao nationality were called "Pu Liao"; In the northern and Southern Dynasties, some were also called "wooden cage Liao". The song and Yuan Dynasties were the period when Mulao Nationality differentiated from Liao and Ling into a single nation. According to historical records, in the fifth year of Kaibao (972), Taizu of Song Dynasty set Luocheng County in Lindong, Guizhou, which was first subordinate to Rongzhou and then Qingyuan. It also sent Han officials to govern and abolish the exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes in the Five Dynasties. During the reign of emperor you of Renzong of Song Dynasty, after the central dynasty suppressed the uprising of Nong Zhigao, chieftain institutions were generally established in the vast areas of Western Guangxi, while the Han official system was established in Luocheng, Tianhe and other places where lingliao people lived. In the Yuan Dynasty, there were many records about the activities of Mulao nationality. The "Mulao", "mulou", "muyao" and "Lao" recorded in historical books refer to Mulao. In the Ming Dynasty, Mulao was called "Mulao", "Mulao" and "Mulao". According to the records of Majiang County in the Republic of China: "the records of unification in the Ming Dynasty called Maha Changzheng, Yuan Gelao village, and Leping Changzheng jianlao village."

According to historical records and legends, it can be inferred that Mulao nationality had lived in Luocheng area at the end of the Yuan Dynasty or the early Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty inherited the system of the song and Yuan Dynasties, continued to set up Liuguan in the Mulao inhabited areas such as Luocheng, Tianhe and Yishan, and set up Li and Jia at the social grass-roots level. At the same time, local patrol departments, towns and strongholds were added under county officials to let local people take office and combine the rule of Han officials with that of local officials. At that time, agriculture had reached a certain level and entered the feudal society. The people paid rice tax twice a year in summer and autumn to the imperial court. In the Qing Dynasty, Mulao areas were divided into "Li" below the county level, and "winter" was set under "Li". More than 10 households in each "winter" set up "winter head", which is pushed by everyone to be responsible for raising grain and collecting money. "Dong" was originally a regional unit divided for paying food and money. Because most Mulao people live in communities with the same surname, and most villages live people with blood ties with the same surname, it was later divided into "houses" below "Dong", which actually became the surname and house organization under the feudal clan system. In the early years of the Republic of China, the regiment general manager, Bao Dong and jia chang were established. The Kuomintang used the original "Dongtou" as Bao and jia chang to rule the Mulao people. After 1933, with the deepening of the Kuomintang's forces, the Baojia system of districts, townships and villages was established. The township head concurrently served as the leader of the Democratic League and the principal of the primary school, and implemented the rule of the so-called "Trinity" and "five household security". Some "township elders" and "clan leaders" of Mulao Nationality often go up to the government and claim clan power. The masses abide by the "township treaty", "clan rules" and "family instructions", and strive to safeguard the feudal patriarchal system such as clan power and husband power.

In the Mulao area of feudal society, the land has been quite concentrated. Every landlord and rich peasant household is equal

The land occupied is about 2 to 4 times that of the middle peasants, 5 to 6 times or even more than 10 times that of the poor peasants, and they are all good farmland and good land. A small number of temple fields, ancestral hall fields, school fields, Chaishan and other public fields and mountains are also occupied by landlords and rich peasants. Landlords and rich peasants exploit the vast number of poor farm workers by employing long-term and short-term workers, usury and renting land. The exploitation of hired workers is the main form of exploitation in Mulao areas, and the employment of short-time workers is the most common. Heavy usury is another means of exploitation by landlords and rich peasants in Mulao areas. Some landlords exploit more than 10000 kilograms of millet every year. The annual interest rate of borrowing Valley is generally 50% to 100%, and some are as high as 150% to 200%. The form of land rent is physical land rent, and the exploitation rate is generally about 60% of the harvest. In some areas, tenants often have to bear a certain amount of unpaid labor. Cruel exploitation has plunged the vast number of farmers into poverty and hunger for many years and led a miserable life.

Mulao people, together with other fraternal nationalities, have waged many struggles against feudal rule. Armed struggles of various sizes broke out successively in the seventh year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1409), the nineteenth year (1421), the sixth year of Zhengde (1511), the ninth year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1652), the seventh year of Yongzheng (1729), the seventh year of Qianlong (1742) and the first year of Daoguang (1821). During the revolution of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Mulao people organized a secret party to respond. In the seventh year of Xianfeng (1857), Li Wenmao, a peasant uprising army that responded to the Taiping Army revolution and established the "Dacheng country", once occupied Luocheng county and established a peasant regime, which was actively supported by the Mulao people.

After the founding of the Communist Party of China, the resistance struggle in Mulao area gradually merged under the leadership of the party. In 1930, the seventh Red Army traveled north through Luocheng, Tianhe county and other Mulao areas. The Mulao people were educated and encouraged by the revolution. They enthusiastically cooked tea, meals and guides for the Red Army. When the Red Army was besieged by Han Caifeng and Qin Lianfang of the Kuomintang in foziao near Sibao, the Mulao people braved the hail of bullets to send ammunition, rescue the wounded and information to the Red Army. Some also picked up guns and took part in the battle directly, which contributed to the victory of the Red Army. When the red army continued to go north, more than a dozen Mulao youth joined the Red Army. The broad masses led the way and carried the burden for their children, and covered the wounded left behind. In the Anti Japanese War, the Mulao people not only joined the Liubei Anti Japanese advance team organized by the party, but also automatically organized an armed team to fight against the Japanese invaders.

After 1946, under the leadership of the party, the Mulao people launched a struggle against the Kuomintang's conscription, grain collection, taxation and tax resistance. Some directly participated in the Liubei people's Liberation Army. More than 70% of the members of the third Squadron, the first brigade of the guerrilla, are Mulao children. Together with the people of all ethnic groups, they resisted the attack of the Kuomintang army and finally liberated Luocheng in November 1949 in cooperation with the people's Liberation Army.

In 1950, the Mulao area was liberated and the struggle against bandits and hegemony was carried out.

At the beginning of 1952, land reform was carried out, and agricultural cooperation was basically completed by 1956.

In September 1958, the Mulao nationality area realized the people's communization.

In 1984, Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County was established with the approval of the State Council.

Agriculture

After long-term development, the agricultural production of Mulao nationality has reached a certain level before the establishment of new China. Farming techniques, crop types and production tools are basically the same as those of the Han and Zhuang nationalities nearby.

Farm tools include iron plow, iron rake, hoe, sickle, etc. Cattle and buffalo are the main livestock, and horses are also used. There are many paddy fields, accounting for about 60% of the cultivated land. After rice harvest, wheat, rape and vegetables are planted in some land; Part of the winter fallow. Corn is the main crop in mountainous areas. In the past, it was planted in ridge cultivation. Two plants were thinly planted one season a year, with beans, peanuts, cotton, melons and so on. Farm manure is widely used. Farmland irrigation mainly relies on damming and channeling to irrigate mountain streams and springs. However, due to the segmented occupation of streams and rivers by landlords and rich farmers, their respective river blocking and water diversion limit the rational use of water sources, and the drought in the downstream is often unable to rescue. In some mountainous areas, it is difficult for people and animals to drink water. Insect and animal disasters are also serious. The yield per unit area of crops varies according to regional conditions, farming techniques and crop types. Generally, the yield per mu of rice is 200-300 kg, more than 100 kg of corn and 600-1000 kg of sweet potato. Wheat, oil and other crops have low yield due to extensive management.

In the past, production was carried out on a household by household basis. The division of labor between men and women is not very strict. Generally speaking, men are responsible for ploughing, plowing, picking dung and threshing. Women are engaged in transplanting, pulling seedlings, cutting grain, farming and housework. Mulao nationality area has a certain development in collecting medicinal materials, raising livestock and concurrently engaged in sideline production such as ironmaking, making cylinder tiles and textile because there are few fields and rich local specialty resources.

handicraft industry

Most of the handicrafts in Mulao areas are not separated from agricultural production.

Although iron tools are relatively simple, they can process and make all kinds of agricultural tools and daily necessities. The "sand pot" made by the gang tile industry is light and durable. It is a specialty of Mulao nationality area.

The larger east gate and Siba polder in Luocheng had been formed as early as the middle of the Qing Dynasty. Some Mulao people also run businesses. During the slack season, many farmers also engage in small traders.

faith

Historically, in Mulao area, folk beliefs played a very important role in people's life. At the same time, Taoism and Buddhism also had a deep influence.

In the 1920s, many large-scale Buddhist temples were built in Mulao area. Near Luocheng County alone, there are four major temples, including geben temple, Kaiyuan Temple, Shuangfu temple and wanguang temple. There are also small temples in the east of the city, such as Jiaolong temple and Shoufu temple. These temples are filled with cigarettes for years, and people come to pray for blessings and disaster elimination in an endless stream. They also hold a regular meeting every year, and people from nearby villages have to participate in sacrifices. Relatively speaking, Taoism occupies a more important position in people's daily life. If people get sick or encounter disaster, they should ask the master to do it, worship God, exorcise evil spirits, and pray for God to bless peace.

The folk belief of Mulao nationality is in a relatively primitive stage. The sun, moon, stars, wind, rain, thunder, electricity, mountains, water, grass, wood, birds and animals, as well as the sages, sages and martyrs of all ages are the objects of worship. The folk beliefs of Mulao nationality are mixed and disorderly. They not only absorb the gods of Taoism and Buddhism, but also tend to hold the priest's office, so that many gods often have both good and evil. For example, King Lei, as the God in charge of rain, can not only rain for the benefit of mankind, but also flood the world and destroy mankind. Therefore, people worship and fear him. Po Wang is sometimes a ferocious God who specializes in children's life and death books. Sometimes she is said to be the mother of the brothers and sisters of Fuxi and Nuwa, the ancestors of human relations. She is a big Mother God. Lady white horse is sometimes a goddess of evil and sometimes a god of good. It is said that Yifan festival commemorates her. The activities of Mulao folk beliefs are frequent and various. Weddings and funerals, good times and festivals, and the beam on the new house all need to hold sacrifice and prayer ceremonies. There are many religious activities at ordinary times, and the more common ones are:

Sacrifice to the three realms: there are two shrines outside the village, one is the three realms public altar and the other is the Lei King altar. Slaughter cattle in front of the Sanjie altar, kill pigs in front of the Lei King altar, and perform blood sacrifices to the two gods.

Bridge for life: if a child is ill and is afraid of dying, please ask the master to do it. Make a bridge with a wooden stick and write the names of the children's parents, children's names and prayers. Put the wooden stick symbolizing the bridge in front of Po Wang Temple and burn incense and paper to pray for the elimination of diseases and disasters.

Add flowers to build a bridge: if a woman is infertile after a long marriage, she asks a mage to do it. A stone slab is erected on the ditch to let several people pass by. It is called "stepping on the bridge". Then set up the "flower woman" spirit on the shrine in the main room. Then nail a small bamboo bridge on the door of the heir, cover it with a piece of red and yellow cloth, cut it into 54 flower children with red, white and silver paper, and put them on both sides of the bridge, which is called "building door bridge", to show that the child comes home.

Buried heavenly dog: women are infertile and are considered to be caused by heavenly dog. Baby soul is most afraid of Tiangou, so it will be reincarnated in the future. So we have to hold a ceremony to bury Tiangou. Dig nine or seven pits beside the stone bridge for children, light an oil lamp in the pit, kill a dog, cut off his head and put it into the first pit, and then fill all the pits. It is called filling nine wells or filling seven wells. It is thought that this will drive away Tiangou and women can get pregnant and have children.

Soul calling: also known as "soul redemption". When a child is ill, it is believed that the soul wanders around. It is necessary to ask the mage to call the soul. Some patients are also served by the patient's mother. Use a small basket with a mirror, an egg, a bag of white rice and a child's old clothes inside. Get the incense burning paper at the intersection and call the child's name. After returning home, put the clothes and white rice used for the soul call at the head of the sick child's bed, bind it to his wrist with the colored thread sent by his grandmother's house, and let the child drink a bowl of "Rune water". Add six horses: old, sick and weak. It is considered that the six horses have fallen. Please ask the mage to "add six horses". The mage cut six paper horses, then prayed for the six horses to come, and put one paper horse at the four corners of the old man's bed, head and feet. It is believed that 6 horses can bring vitality to the elderly and restore their physical strength.

Anlongwei: Mulao people believe that the village has the Dragon God of the village, that is, the so-called landscape dragon vein, and the family has the Dragon God of the family, which dominate the fate of the village and the family respectively. If the whole village suffers misfortune and is considered to have destroyed the dragon vein, the whole village will hold an anti dragon activity. If the family suffers misfortune, it is necessary to hold Anlong activities at home. The village's Anlong was held in the whole village. The mage filled a plate with boiled tung oil and smoked it all over every corner of the village. Then, pray for the Dragon God to come and kill a goose and more than 30 chickens for sacrifice. No villagers are allowed to enter within three days after Anlong. Family Anlong is similar, but on a much smaller scale.

Jiaojiao: also known as Taiping Jiaojiao. In case of disaster in the village, the whole village should raise funds for Jiaojiao. Presided over by the mage for 3 to 5 days. Set up a tent and altar in the open space of the village, offer three animals, and the master chants scriptures and dances to invite God to come and expel ghosts. Then he sent it to God and burned paper-cut ingots, suitcases, houses and symbolic coins as a reward to the gods.

Add food: the old man is sick. It is considered that the food brought to the world from heaven has been eaten up. To restore the health of the old man, we must ask the mage to add food to the old man. Use a rooster and 2 kilograms of pork for God. Let the married woman bring back a barrel of rice and two threads. The master used rice to cover the mouth of the rice tube with paper, tied it with thread and put it on the shrine. On the morning of the 4th, open the bamboo tube, pour out the rice and cook it for the patient. When relatives visit, they also bring some rice, which means to add food.

Architecture

Mulao people live together, and people of the same clan often live in the same village. It is only in some towns and large villages that they live together with other nationalities and other surnames.

Houses are generally mud walls and tile roofs, three parallel bungalows, and there are few thatched houses. Brick and tile buildings belong only to landlords and rich peasants. Most of the architectural forms of houses are in one format, with seven doors, gate, middle door, back door and four doors. "Incense" is placed on the middle wall of the main room. The left side of the door is dug to build a ground stove, which burns coal. It is the unique living equipment for heating and burning fire of Mulao people. Digging a ground stove and burning fire has a long history. Tian Rucheng, who lived in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, described the floor stove of Mulao people in his book "the chronicle of burning fire". Livestock pens are generally separated from houses, so the interior is clean and tidy.

diet

The staple food of Mulao nationality is rice, corn and potato. In the past, except for a few landlords and rich peasants, the majority of Mulao people were two thin and one dry every day, and even three meals were porridge.

Like hot and sour, every family pickles sour buckwheat, sour beans, sour taro, sour knife beans, sour garlic and so on.

The main types of vegetables are cabbage, cabbage, amaranth, beans, pumpkin, mustard and radish.

Meat is mainly pork, chicken, duck and fish. Cat and snake meat are forbidden. In the past, Luo and Yao did not eat dog meat. It is said that this is related to the rescue of dogs caught in fire by Luo's ancestors.

Yao does not eat animal viscera. It is said that this is related to the ancestors of Yao. In the Yao period of the Eastern Han Dynasty, soldiers were not allowed to have a full meal because they were not familiar with cooking pig hearts. They were not allowed to send troops on that day. Since then, the Yao surname did not eat animal viscera.

Clothes & Accessories

Mulao's clothes are usually dark cyan. In the past, it was mostly self spinning, self weaving, self dyeing and self sewing. According to records, in the Qing Dynasty, women still had the habit of wearing bucket skirts. Landlords and gentry wear clothes with wind collars, which are not allowed to be worn by ordinary farmers.

They have been refitted in modern times, which is not much different from the clothes of the local Han and Zhuang nationalities. Men wear double breasted jackets and trousers, and old people wear Pipa Lapel jackets; Generally wear straw sandals, not many are barefoot.

In the past, girls wore braids and tied bun after marriage. Now most of them have had their hair cut. Ornaments include silver earrings, bracelets, rings, etc.

literature

Mulao nationality has rich and colorful literature and art. Because Mulao nationality has no words but only language, it determines that the literature left over from Mulao Nationality's history is mainly folk literature, such as myths, legends, poems, stories, operas and so on.

Mulao nationality has rich mythological forms, including creation mythology and hero mythology. Creation myths include myths about the origin of heaven and earth, such as how heaven rises, flood and human regeneration myths, such as the legend of Fuxi brothers and sisters, and myths formed by national customs, such as Yifan Festival; Heroic myths include Jia and King Keng mountain.

Folk songs play an important role in the life of Mulao people. In the past, almost every family had songbooks, and there were old singers in every village. They took it as their duty to teach young people to sing. Singing activities are mostly held during "walking slope" and festive festivals.

Walking uphill is a social activity for young men and women and a way to talk about love. According to tradition, when young men and women meet in the suburbs, they can invite duets whether they know each other or not. It is considered impolite to refuse an invitation. The types of songs are: "casual answer". The lyrics are improvised by the singer without a certain song book. They have rich imagination and comparison, including love songs, labor songs, bitter songs, ritual songs, custom songs, etc.

"Gutiao" is a story ballad, which contains popular historical stories, myths, legends, etc. "Bad mouth style" is an ironic ballad. The content is informal and compiled with singing. Singing is mostly in Chinese, which is a form of duet. When walking uphill, they mainly sing "casual answer", and sometimes they also sing "bad breath". "Gutiao" songs are often sung on festive occasions, and most of the singers are middle-aged people.

In the late 20th century, new content was added to folk songs. Revolutionary songs are also popular. The most popular folk drama of Mulao nationality is "color tune". Caidiao is a Chinese local opera popular in Guilin and Liuzhou in northern Guangxi. Around 1880, it spread to Luocheng and other places where Mulao people lived. Mulao stronghold has many amateur color tone groups. Dawu village, Siba Township, had two small groups around 1940. A color tone stone stage built by Jimen in the past still exists today. During the Spring Festival every year, it is the climax of the performance of color tunes in Mulao mountain township.

Sports

Mulao people have many folk games and sports activities, which have greatly enriched the life of Mulao people.

Dancing grass dragon: the grass dragon is woven with straw and decorated with colored paper. During the Spring Festival, Mulao people have the custom of dancing grass dragon door to door to pay New Year's greetings.

Elephant walking tiger palm: during the slack season, draw a line on the ground and the contestants stand on two sides

When the referee gives an order, both sides can move and exert themselves. The purpose is to push the opposite release away from the original position, or deliberately relax, so that the other party's body leans forward and the soles of the feet exceed the boundary. This activity can exercise people's arms, feet and endurance.

Phoenix egg protection: it's a Mulao children's game. Draw a circle on the ground to represent the phoenix nest. Put three or five stones to represent the phoenix egg. A child dressed as a mother Phoenix landed on his left foot in the circle and lay prone to protect his eggs. 3、 Five children disguised as heavenly soldiers will seize eggs in the future. The outcome depends on whether it can be finished within the specified time. Among them, the child who grabs the egg cannot touch the right leg of the "mother Phoenix", which will be eliminated. This kind of game can train children's flexibility and cultivate their wit and brave character.

Snatching fireworks: it is a common entertainment activity of Mulao and Zhuang. It is held on June 24 of the lunar calendar every year. Shoot the wreath into the sky with earth guns. The contestants compete for the wreath falling from the sky to win the one with more wreaths. There are only five guns in each fireworks festival, and each gun has only one wreath.

Dragons compete for beads: put a certain amount of fruit in the water. The contestants dive into the water to catch the fruit, and the winner will win.

festival

Mulao people have many folk games and sports activities, which have greatly enriched the life of Mulao people.

Dancing grass dragon: the grass dragon is woven with straw and decorated with colored paper. During the Spring Festival, Mulao people have the custom of dancing grass dragon door to door to pay New Year's greetings.

Elephant walking tiger palm: during the slack season, draw a line on the ground and the contestants stand on two sides

When the referee gives an order, both sides can move and exert themselves. The purpose is to push the opposite release away from the original position, or deliberately relax, so that the other party's body leans forward and the soles of the feet exceed the boundary. This activity can exercise people's arms, feet and endurance.

Phoenix egg protection: it's a Mulao children's game. Draw a circle on the ground to represent the phoenix nest. Put three or five stones to represent the phoenix egg. A child dressed as a mother Phoenix landed on his left foot in the circle and lay prone to protect his eggs. 3、 Five children disguised as heavenly soldiers will seize eggs in the future. The outcome depends on whether it can be finished within the specified time. Among them, the child who grabs the egg cannot touch the right leg of the "mother Phoenix", which will be eliminated. This kind of game can train children's flexibility and cultivate their wit and brave character.

Snatching fireworks: it is a common entertainment activity of Mulao and Zhuang. It is held on June 24 of the lunar calendar every year. Shoot the wreath into the sky with earth guns. The contestants compete for the wreath falling from the sky to win the one with more wreaths. There are only five guns in each fireworks festival, and each gun has only one wreath.

Dragons compete for beads: put a certain amount of fruit in the water. The contestants dive into the water to catch the fruit, and the winner will win.

marriage

In the past, early marriage arranged by parents was popular in Mulao areas, and a few got married through "going downhill" love.

After marriage, there is the custom of "not leaving your husband's house". After marriage, the woman did not live in the man's house, but returned to her parents' house to help produce labor and serve her elders. She didn't go back to her husband's house for a few days until she was pregnant and had children.

Mulao nationality has long been intermarried with Zhuang and Han nationality. Wedding etiquette is complicated and expensive. Generally speaking, from engagement to marriage, we have to go through ceremonies such as choosing a son-in-law, hiring a media, agreeing to a life, making a decision, giving a gift, marrying, etc. The man should give the woman gifts such as pork, wine, rice, silver yuan, earrings, bracelets and clothes, which is equivalent to the value of 1500 kg to 2000 kg of rice.

Rich families have more concubines, while poor farmers often can't afford wives. In some families, the debts owed by their grandfather's marriage have not been paid off by their grandchildren.

The dowry sent by the woman's family to the man's family is also quite expensive.

funeral

When the old people of Mulao Nationality die, they have to report their bereavement to their relatives. If a young daughter-in-law dies, a foreigner must be present before she can be buried. Before the old deceased was buried, his filial son would take water from the river to bathe the deceased. It is commonly known as buying water, that is, burning incense by the river before taking water to thank the God of water. After bathing, put on several layers of new clothes for the dead. Then carry the dead to the grass mat on the ground, indicating that "death belongs to the earth". The descendants put some meat and rice in the mouth of the dead, pressed it with milli silver, then carried it into the coffin and put it on its back, with their head to the narrow side of the coffin and their feet to the wide side of the coffin, which means "stepping on the lotus". "Shigong" is usually asked to fast for the dead. In general, there are those who fight for one night or more than three nights, depending on the family's financial resources. The burial tomb should be determined by Mr. Feng Shui, that is, the so-called "good city and auspicious place". Funeral to choose "auspicious day". Mulao people are often buried once. If they are unlucky at home, they will be buried twice, pick up the bones, wash them, put them into the altar and then buried.

Mulao people have been filial for a long time. The parents died, and the filial son wore filial piety for three years. In the middle hall of the family, there is a spiritual card. In the morning and evening, tea and rice are served to show filial piety. Three years later, the spirit card was burned on the 15th day of July of the lunar calendar, which is called "de filial piety". Special ceremonies should be held for people who die abnormally. In case of murder, a fire refining ceremony shall be held. When the fire was lit, the mage raised a straw man as a substitute for the dead, chanted scriptures and cursed and walked over the fire, followed by his family. After this ceremony, the souls of the dead can "return to their ancestors" and stay with the ancestors of the underworld without becoming dead souls and endangering their families, so that their families can avoid the misfortunes of the same kind. If the wife dies first, at the funeral, the husband should take a knife in his left hand and a pair of chopsticks in his right hand, cut off the chopsticks, which means to cut off the "relationship between husband and wife", and the soul of the dead shall not entangle in the future. These burial customs show the same or similar beliefs and ideas of Mulao Nationality and many other nationalities, which is the result of cultural exchange among various nationalities.

taboo

Mulao people also had many taboos in the past:

You can't sweep the floor on the first day of the new year. You think sweeping the floor will sweep away money and become a monk. I can't wash clothes. I think washing clothes will wash away my happiness. I can't chop wood. I think it will scare away the God of wealth.

No entry on the first day of February.

No work on the first day of June. Do not shave or wash your hair within three days. Stop breathing and don't talk when you plant the first nine corn seeds. When going out to do business, it is taboo to cook poorly and break dishes.

After the founding of new China, great changes have taken place in the beliefs and customs of Mulao nationality, the color of superstition has gradually faded, and the healthy and beneficial ingredients have continued.