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December 21, 2014

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Home among the mountains

MAONAN people have been living in the mountainous region of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for more than 2,000 years and are proud of it.

With a small population of 101,192, they mainly live in Huanjiang Autonomous County and nearby counties such as Nandan and Du’an. There are about 40,000 Maonan people in other provinces such as Guizhou.

The origin of the Moanan people can be traced back to the Liao and Linren, both derived from the Baiyue people in ancient China.

The Maonans and the ancestors of the Shuis and Dongs settled in the area near the border of Guangxi and Guizhou by the end of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD220). They called themselves “Junnan” or “Ainan,” or “people from Maonan.”

They speak Maonanese, part of the Sino-Tibetan language family, but there is no written system for the language. Some Maonan scholars use pinyin or new characters based on Chinese characters to record folk songs and religious books. Most ordinary Maonan people write in Chinese.

Most Maonan people believe in Taoism although some are Buddhists.

Most live in stone houses on pillars. Stone is used to make the foundations and walls against mountain slopes. In addition, the pillars, steps, flat roof, animal fence, table, water vats and basins are all made of carved stones.

Traditionally, Maonan people wear hand-knitted clothes in blue or black. Men and women both wear jackets buttoned down the front on the right and loose-legged trousers. Men usually use black scarves to wrap their heads. The opening of women’s garments is embroidered with three black trims. Keeping their hair in a bun, Maonan women are fond of ornaments made of gold, silver and jade.

Originated from folk sacrifice activity, the wooden mask dance is unique to the minority group. It has various forms and purposes. Some dances pray for either nice weather, a bountiful harvest or good health, while others express happiness from hunting, fishing and farming, as well as romance.

This dance is always performed with chorus and percussion music, blending in poems and music. Even though the dancers’ faces are hidden behind a mask, emotions are conveyed through body movements. Costumes and props serve the story and add aesthetic value. The dancers usually wear robes decorated like a dragon or giant snake.

The Fenlong Festival, or the Temple Festival, is their biggest annual celebration and is usually held the day after the Summer Solstice. During this festival, people usually wear beautiful clothes and young wives go back to their parents’ home. Glutinous rice in five colors and steamed pork with rice are among the most popular dishes that day. It’s also a good day for dating as young men and women participate in various activities. One of the most popular events is a singing competition on mountain slopes.

“Fang Niao Fei” (let the birds fly) is a tradition on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Families usually weave different kinds of birds with calamus leaves stuffed with sticky rice in advance. They will eat them on the festival as a way of setting the birds free.

The tradition is originated from the legend of a clever young woman who helped her beloved. The man’s father asked him to plant millet in all fields on the Chinese New Year’s Eve. The man mistakenly sowed rice and was ordered to remove all the seeds and start again, an arduous and difficult task for one person.

The girl took out hundreds of birds that she had weaved and breathed on them. The birds came alive when the boy took them to the mountain and helped collect all the rice seeds. Satisfied with his son’s work, the father agreed that they could marry on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

The tradition of weaving birds spread. They are usually tied on a long cane and every child will get a “bird” as a snack. Young wives often return to their parents’ home for a “bird” as a wish for a lively kid.




 

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