Qu Bilaji

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Qu Bilaji, Male, Yi, from Meigu, Sichuan, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Ancestor Worship Customs (Ⅹ-90). The tradition is documented in Meigu, Sichuan. Within the regional tradition and school record of Ancestor Worship Customs in Meigu, Sichuan: It is mainly distributed in the northern dialect area of the Yi language, in Yi-inhabited areas such as Zhaojue and Butuo in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, as well as the neighboring areas of Ebian and Mabian, among which Meigu County transmits the tradition most completely. Its ancestor worship arose during the transition from exogamy under the matrilineal clan system to the patrilineal clan system, or even earlier, and it flourished around the Ming and Qing period.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Qu Bilaji is anchored in the documented technical standards of Ancestor Worship Customs in Meigu, Sichuan. Within the documented technical tradition of Ancestor Worship Customs in Meigu, Sichuan: The Liangshan Yi Nimu Cuobi sacrifice is a traditional sacrificial activity that takes reverence for ancestors and the fulfillment of filial duty, and reproduction and the multiplication of the family line, as its content, and takes sending the spirits back to the ancestors as its task, with the aim of achieving health and wellbeing for family members, abundant grain harvests, and thriving livestock. The ancestor worship of the Yi people has a long history: as far back as the matrilineal clan period there are records of enshrining ancestral spirits, as evidenced by the account in the Le'oteyi of "ancestral spirit tablets enshrined in the home." The Nimu Cuobi sacrifice is carried out by a lineage or family unit, following the rule that the younger generation sends off the elder one; in winter an auspicious day is chosen and a bimo (ritual specialist) is invited to preside, and it usually lasts three to seven days. The content of the sacrifice is broad, covering the Yi language and writing, literature and art, history and philosophy, medicine and public health, and other fields. Within the sacrifice, the rites of settling the spirit (anling), purifying the spirit (jingling), and sending off the spirit (songling) are the more solemn ones. Settling the spirit includes procedures such as choosing the spirit bamboo, making the spirit tablet, offering medicine to cure illness, and presenting offerings; purifying the spirit includes segments such as calling the spirit, offering wine and water, sweeping away dust, removing evil influences, and replacing the spirit post; sending off the spirit includes steps such as entertaining the ancestral fathers and mothers, showing the way, performing the spirit marriage rite, and sending the spirit into the mountain-grotto. In addition, traditional cultural events such as horse racing, beauty pageants, wrestling, bullfighting, and song-and-dance performances are indispensable parts of the sacrifice. The Nimu Cuobi sacrifice has several characteristics. First, it is procedural: from the invitation of the priest to every procedure, there is a strict order. Second, it is lineage-based: it is the common obligation of descendants of a shared ancestor and the other members of the family branch. Third, it is symbolic: ancestor worship and sending off the spirit carry distinct symbolic meaning. Fourth, it transmits knowledge: the content of the sacrifice is rich, and it is a venue for exchange among priests and education for participants. Fifth, it is entertaining: it is both a sacred cultural space and a stage for folk cultural performance. Sixth, it is broad in scope: the sacrificial activity is not only a family obligation but also draws wide participation from the extended family, relatives, and friends, and large-scale sacrifices often number upward of ten thousand people. The Liangshan Yi Nimu Cuobi sacrifice is a typical example of Yi ancestor worship and an important component of the Yi culture of revering ancestors; it is deeply rooted in the hearts of the local Yi people. It is of practical significance for studying and carrying forward the fine tradition of respecting the old and caring for the young, and for promoting social harmony. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Choosing the spirit bamboo and making its tablet": The first step is choosing bamboo for the spirit and shaping its tablet, both strictly governed by the officiant. "Offering medicine to clear illness": Medicine drawn on local herbal knowledge is offered to cleanse illness, healing ancestor and living alike. "Calling the spirit and replacing the stake": The spirit is called, purified with wine and water, and its stake replaced as the household stands silent. "Feeding the ancestors before the send-off": Before the ancestors are sent off they are fed and honoured, so that the passage is not left abrupt.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Qu Bilaji was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Ancestor Worship Customs, with Meigu, Sichuan as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Ancestor Worship Customs in Meigu, Sichuan: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2014 (batch 4), with Meigu, Sichuan as its declared area, and Meigu County Cultural Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Qubilaji (Meigu, Sichuan) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Qubilaji · China ICH Official Archive