Watch Gorgeous Silver Rings In Chinese Miao's Moon Dance Festival
The Miao minority group living in southwest China are known for their colorful ethnic costumes and big, unique silver rings. During big holidays like the Moon Dance Festival, Miao women will wear rich attire to proudly show their beauty and elegance. The Moon Dance Festival is also a good time for young single people to seek for their life partners. Men play their special Lusheng musical instrument, with women singing and dancing around with the silver rings and other silver jewelry. The festival is held three times a year, respectively in lunar January, June, and August. Here is a story about the origin of this festival.
Once upon a time, there were two brothers who lived on the mountain. Every day, the elder brother went to chop wood, and the younger brother went fishing. Then they went to the market to sell their products. They led a simple but happy life.
The elder brother enjoyed music. Every time he went to hew wood, he would always look for some reed and bamboo, then make them into a pipe and play it. It sounded very beautiful. So gradually he collected many pipes. One day, he sat on a stone, and blew the pipes one by one. Each pipe made sound with various pitches. He said to himself, "If I play all these pipes together, then what music it would make?"
One day when he hewed a kiri plant, he found the inside of the kiri was empty. He drilled a few holes in one side of this kiri wood, and placed the pipes into the holes. Then he blew into the kiri. Instantly the kiri produced several different sounds simultaneously. After studying this for long time, he finally created a wonderful musical instrument which could make sweet melodies with different tones. This instrument was later named as Lusheng. People liked this Lusheng music. Even the animals and birds were allured by this sweet music.
A female tiger resided in a cave close by. She was intoxicated by the music, and hoped to own the elder brother. So she could enjoy the music anytime when she wanted. One day, the tiger changed into a lady with a few rings on her fingers, and walked into the brothers' home stealthily. She ate some dried fish in the kitchen.
When the two brothers arrived home and saw the tiger, they were really not happy, " How are you here and eat all our fish?" The tiger laughed, " Your fish was yummy! And now you go with me. I want you to be my husband!" The tiger caught the elder brother, and ran away. The younger brother tried to fight to get his brother back, but eventually he was defeated. The elder brother was taken away. When they left, the younger brother saw there was a tail under the lady's skirt. So he understood that the lady was actually a ferocious tiger.
The younger brother immediately called the villagers together. They took arrows and bows to look for the elder brother in the mountains. One month passed, and they still couldn't find the brother. Until one day in lunar January, they walked up to the top of the mountain, and heard a bird singing, " In the cave, in the cave!" They walked ahead, and finally found a cave behind a large patch of grass. The elder brother was captured in the cave, and beside him was the tiger. The younger brother and villagers shot the tiger to death, and rescued the elder brother.
The elder brother felt so happy that he played his Lusheng music excitedly. The villagers sang and danced around him to celebrate their victory.
Since then, Lusheng became one of the most important musical instruments in the Miao areas. In lunar January, June, and August, an exciting festival is held, when men play Lusheng music, and women dance to the music with glistening silver rings on their fingers. Sometimes the festival is held in a night when the moon shines brightly in the sky. So it got a name " the Moon Dance Festival". The festival also has another name " Looking for Brother Festival". The women's silver rings are particularly beautiful in the moonlight. - 18758
Once upon a time, there were two brothers who lived on the mountain. Every day, the elder brother went to chop wood, and the younger brother went fishing. Then they went to the market to sell their products. They led a simple but happy life.
The elder brother enjoyed music. Every time he went to hew wood, he would always look for some reed and bamboo, then make them into a pipe and play it. It sounded very beautiful. So gradually he collected many pipes. One day, he sat on a stone, and blew the pipes one by one. Each pipe made sound with various pitches. He said to himself, "If I play all these pipes together, then what music it would make?"
One day when he hewed a kiri plant, he found the inside of the kiri was empty. He drilled a few holes in one side of this kiri wood, and placed the pipes into the holes. Then he blew into the kiri. Instantly the kiri produced several different sounds simultaneously. After studying this for long time, he finally created a wonderful musical instrument which could make sweet melodies with different tones. This instrument was later named as Lusheng. People liked this Lusheng music. Even the animals and birds were allured by this sweet music.
A female tiger resided in a cave close by. She was intoxicated by the music, and hoped to own the elder brother. So she could enjoy the music anytime when she wanted. One day, the tiger changed into a lady with a few rings on her fingers, and walked into the brothers' home stealthily. She ate some dried fish in the kitchen.
When the two brothers arrived home and saw the tiger, they were really not happy, " How are you here and eat all our fish?" The tiger laughed, " Your fish was yummy! And now you go with me. I want you to be my husband!" The tiger caught the elder brother, and ran away. The younger brother tried to fight to get his brother back, but eventually he was defeated. The elder brother was taken away. When they left, the younger brother saw there was a tail under the lady's skirt. So he understood that the lady was actually a ferocious tiger.
The younger brother immediately called the villagers together. They took arrows and bows to look for the elder brother in the mountains. One month passed, and they still couldn't find the brother. Until one day in lunar January, they walked up to the top of the mountain, and heard a bird singing, " In the cave, in the cave!" They walked ahead, and finally found a cave behind a large patch of grass. The elder brother was captured in the cave, and beside him was the tiger. The younger brother and villagers shot the tiger to death, and rescued the elder brother.
The elder brother felt so happy that he played his Lusheng music excitedly. The villagers sang and danced around him to celebrate their victory.
Since then, Lusheng became one of the most important musical instruments in the Miao areas. In lunar January, June, and August, an exciting festival is held, when men play Lusheng music, and women dance to the music with glistening silver rings on their fingers. Sometimes the festival is held in a night when the moon shines brightly in the sky. So it got a name " the Moon Dance Festival". The festival also has another name " Looking for Brother Festival". The women's silver rings are particularly beautiful in the moonlight. - 18758
About the Author:
C. Liu writes about silver jewelry from Asia, especially silver rings from China. The Miao silver rings she specializes in are known across the region. To let her know what you think, check out the silver rings here.
posted by X - Men at
12:41 AM
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