Ancestor Worship Customs
01 · Historical Records
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 · Core Techniques & Process
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.
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.
Showing the way to the burial cave
The officiant recites the ancestral route aloud, and the spirits are then led into the burial cave.
Horse racing, beauty contests and wrestling
Racing, beauty contests, wrestling and song run alongside the sacrifice, letting the village admire its own young.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
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.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs · Ancestor Worship Customs.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
At the same time, it is a cultural space for the cultural practice and display of the Liangshan Yi people, and has research value in multiple disciplines such as literature and art, anthropology, and folklore studies.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Liu Yixia 05-3036
- Zhuge Yi 05-3037
- Chen Dunhe 05-3038
- Fan Zhongyi
- Qu Bilaji
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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