Most of the ethnic groups in southwest China believe that we humans are an integral part of the cosmos, a view of the universe that can be traced back to the ancient Chinese civilization thousands years ago. They believe in the existence of divinities and express their faith through wearing their traditional garments in the modern society. The Yi ethnic groups embroidered on their clothes the original patterns of the mystical he-tu and luo-shu diagrams, holograms of the structure of the universe which are believed to be bestowed by God and handed down from before this civilization around 5500 years ago. The Miao ethnic groups dressed up in clothes embroidered with deities and divinities when they were in ceremonies worshiping the heavens and the gods, maintaining harmony between Man and Nature.
Most of the ethnic groups in southwest China believe that we humans are an integral part of the cosmos, a view of the universe that can be traced back to the ancient Chinese civilization thousands years ago. They believe in the existence of divinities and express their faith through wearing their traditional garments in the modern society. The Yi ethnic groups embroidered on their clothes the original patterns of the mystical he-tu and luo-shu diagrams, holograms of the structure of the universe which are believed to be bestowed by God and handed down from before this civilization around 5500 years ago. The Miao ethnic groups dressed up in clothes embroidered with deities and divinities when they were in ceremonies worshiping the heavens and the gods, maintaining harmony between Man and Nature.
薩 滿 之 路
「薩滿」saman來自滿語及其他通古斯語族語言。在通古斯語中是「智者」、「曉徹」的意思，且意指有能力進入入神狀態，並能與神溝通之人。
薩滿信仰中的薩滿被認為是掌握神秘知識，有能力進入「人神」狀態的人，有著預言、治療，與屬靈世界溝通，以及旅行到屬靈世界的能力。薩滿會作為一個巫醫、術士、驅魔師、占卜師、亡靈巫師或靈魂行者。在中國西南地區，各個民族都有不同的薩滿，他們是神靈世界的守護著，也是現實世界中最後的通靈人。
復活的史前文明
復活的史前文明
the living fossil of prehistoric civilization
If we take the needles as pens, and the cotton threads as the ink, the ethnic groups in southwest China had drawn their history on their clothes. Two thousand years ago a great ethnic migration occurred and many settled in the area. Word texts may be lost as time goes by during migrations from place to place, but these ancient symbols on their garments had been with them for thousands of years, passing on from generation to generation as the soul of the ethnic group. The clothing of the ethnic groups in southwest China is like an epic poem without words. Historical memories sealed in the patterns and symbols recorded the origin of human beings, message from the universe. The Miao ethnic group recorded the migrating path of their ancestors on their skirts; The Naxi ethnic group wears stars and moons on their clothes, which is the ancient cosmic star map; The Yao ethnic group wears their gods on them praying to receive the blessings of Heaven...
Yi calendar
The origin of the Yi people can be traced back to the clans of Gu Qiang or Xi Qiang. As the oldest tribe in China, the Qiang people lived in the Kunlun Mountains in western China, where many of the ancient Chinese emperors first came into power, such as Huangdi, Yandi, Shaohao and Yu (see "Shiji"). The modern Qiang, Yi, Naxi, Lisu, Hani, Ba, Tujia, Bai, and Tibetan are all descendants of the ancient Qiang people.As descendants, the Yi people are still using the ancient calendars, which are known as the ten-month solar calendar, the twelve-month yin and yang calendar, and the eighteen-month solar calendar.
Most of the ethnic groups in southwest China believe that we humans are an integral part of the cosmos, a view of the universe that can be traced back to the ancient Chinese civilization thousands years ago. They believe in the existence of divinities and express their faith through wearing their traditional garments in the modern society. The Yi ethnic groups embroidered on their clothes the original patterns of the mystical he-tu and luo-shu diagrams, holograms of the structure of the universe which are believed to be bestowed by God and handed down from before this civilization around 5500 years ago.
The Miao ethnic groups dressed up in clothes embroidered with deities and divinities when they were in ceremonies worshiping the heavens and the gods, maintaining harmony between Man and Nature. The Priest of Maonan ethnic groups wore cassocks which were given great power when they sang the scriptures for the protection from the gods. During festivals like the dragon-boat races, the Fire festival, or Ancestor Worship festival, people from these ethnic groups singing and dancing in colorful dresses pass on the essence of tradition. They firmly believe that they are God’s offspring, and their gods are guarding them and their homeland as always. The clothing of the ethnic groups in southwest China is an epic without words, handed down the wisdom of their ancestors by which they communicate with heaven and earth.
This is the most commonly adopted calendar by Yi people, which has been passed down from the prehistorical times. A year is divided into five seasons (spring, summer, long summer, autumn, winter), corresponding to the five elements of wood, fire, earth, copper and water, while each season of 72 days is divided into a male and a female month. There are 10 months in a year, each of which is represented by an animal. Likewise, days are also named after 12 animals. In other words, 36 days of a month will count for three rounds. The last 5 days of the calendar year (or 6 days of the following year) are the New Year Days.
There are only 30 days each month in this calendar, which works in a similar way to the lunar calendar. Years, months and days are represented by 12 different animals. The custom is very popular in China.
The only recognized eighteen-month solar calendar is the one used by the Maya people in South America for more than 6,000 years. Coincidentally, in May 1989, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences discovered that a similar solar calendar was used by local astrologers in Wuding County, Yunnan Province. Studies showed that their calendar is the same as eighteen-month solar calendar used by the Maya people. Each year is divided into 18 months and 20 days a month, totaling 360 days. The only difference is the remaining five days, which the Maya called “Taboo Days”, while the Yi people called “the New Year’s Day”.
A scene of the Yi Torch Festival.
The Torch Festival, also known as the Star Returning Festival, is an important traditional festival for ethnic minorities in Yunnan such as the Yi, Bai, Naxi, Jinuo and Lahu. The festival is generally celebrated at June 25th of the lunar calendar (or 24th of the same month). Some scholars believe that this festival was originally a new year festival in ten-month solar calendar. The Torch Festival is actually the New Year's Day in the first half of the year, so it is also called the Grand New Year Day.
Sisters' Day
It is a traditional festival of the Miao people, which is from March 15 to March 18 of the lunar calendar. On the day of the festival, local women will dress in splendid costumes, singing and dancing in a huge spiral circle. This is an ancient ritual ceremony, also the embodiment of the traditional Chinese cosmology of "harmony between heaven and man".
