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The many meanings of water
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THE inscriptions of the Shui ethnic group often include a pattern of two fish surrounding a gourd. This graceful pattern is a symbol of the Shui people’s close relationship with water and one of many unique aspects of their culture.
Shui means water in Chinese, and this ethnic group gained their name because they mainly live near rivers and streams. Their customs, religion and folklore also revolve largely around water.
The Shui people have an estimated population of 411,847, most of which dwell in Guizhou Province. Other pockets of Shui people are scattered in Nandan and Yizhou counties of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Fuyuan County of Yunnan Province.
The areas in which they live offer abundant fish and rice. The dense and picturesque forests they inhabit are a source of timber and many medicinal herbs.
Scholars believe the group is closely related to the “Luoyue” of the early Bouyei ethnic group in ancient China. They used to live in the Yongjiang River area, where ancient Luoyues also dwelled. However, in 211 BC, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-227 BC) sent 500,000 troops to Lingnan, forcing Shui ancestors to sail along the Longjiang River and settle in an area around present day Guizhou and Guangxi. There they separated from Luoyue and became an independent ethnic group during the Sui (AD 581-618) and Tang (AD 618-907) dynasties.
The Shui people’s language is derived from the Zhuang-Dong branch of the Sino-Tibetan language system. They do possess their own ancient writing system named Shui Shu, or water book, which is over 2,000 years old. It has about 400 words with shapes like oracle bone inscriptions. Classics written in Shui Shu cover a wide range of information including astronomy, primitive beliefs, philosophy, literature, art and ethics.
However, this system was used and passed down within a very small group of people called Shui Shu xiansheng, or Mr Waterbook. Today, most Shui speak Mandarin.
The Shui are mainly polytheistic and practice ancestor worship. Shamans were traditionally hired to lead prayers and sacrifices in the houses of those who were sick or close to death. Their prayers focused around nature, ancestors and totems.
The Shui religion has more than 900 ghosts and gods govern both good fortune and misfortune. The Shui’s civil gods include female ancestor “Niangniang goddess” and male ancestor “Engong.”
The Shui usually love to dress in black and blue, and their clothes are often made of the famous shuijia cloth, which is usually homemade and dyed.
Men wear long collarless gowns, black turbans and short white jackets inside. Their trousers and shoes are usually blue. Women, who wear their hair in buns, are usually dressed in blue collarless blouses, black trousers and aprons, all of which are embroidered. During festivals, they put on skirts and wear a splendid variety of silver earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
Living in the upper reaches of rivers in a climate bestowed with mild temperatures, the Shui people eat rice as their staple food, accompanied with fish, vegetables and yellow wine.
Glutinous rice is the staple meal for holidays and sacrifices. Therefore, it is often nicknamed “ghost rice.”
Chinese chive-stuffed fish is a famous Shui delicacy, in which the fish is stuffed with chives and chestnuts, then wrapped in straw and boiled in a clear soup.
Home-made rice wine is always necessary to show Shui people’s hospitality to the guests.
The Shui boast a colorful tradition of oral storytelling. Folk arts include paper-cutting, stone carvings, silver jewelry and dyeing textiles with batik techniques.
Their stories and fables praise the diligence, bravery, wisdom and love of the Shui ethnic group. With rich content and vivid plots, Shui tales are often highly romantic.
Shui people tend to sing without the accompaniment of musical instruments. There are generally two kinds of songs suitable for different occasions — the “grand songs” to add fun to work and the “wine songs” for wedding feasts or funerals. Copper drum dances are the most popular dance form among the Shui people. It features male performers who beat drums while dancing at the same time.
They use a calendar similar to the traditional Chinese calendar, except they take the ninth lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar as the beginning of the year.
The Duan Festival is the biggest festival for Shui people just as the Spring Festival is to the Hans. It is celebrated with great pomp after the autumn harvest at the beginning of the 12th lunar month every year. Garbed in their colorful clothing, the Shui gather to watch horse races and plays, and to feast for days on end. During this holiday, eating fish is necessary. It symbolizes their ancestors and the clan’s prosperity. The Shui also celebrate the Mao Festival during May and June, where young men and women dress up and sing in antiphonal style to find their lovers.
Shui
Population: 411,847 (2010 national census)
Distribution: Guizhou Province, Nandan and Yizhou counties of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Fuyuan County of Yunnan Province
Language: Shui language and Mandarin
Religion: Polytheism
Food: Rice, fish and vegetables
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