Sanduo Festival of Naxi Ethnic Group,Lijiang

Naxi “Sanduo Festival” Performance and Ethnic Cultural Series of Activities of Lijiang

Date: Every  8th day of the second month by lunar calendar

Celebrating Place: Sifang Square, Old Town District, Lijiang City,Baisha Village

Sanduo Festival is a Naxi traditional festival in the Lijiang area, it is held on Feb 8th, lunar month every year. Local people think Sanduo is the soul of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, he not only protects the Lijiang environment, but also the Naxi people. He is a hero for Naxi people, on that day, Naxi people hold a big celebration to sacrifice him, people bring a lot of delicious food and come to the temple and offer: pork, fish and chicken to him. If locals are far from this temple, they will mostly choose nice places by the water or by big forests, somewhere with nice views and an area to picnic, then have a big party together.

 
Sanduo is the spirit of the jade dragon snow mountain, is legendary and can advertise for to fight well, the traps the hero of support, past drive the west clan thousand a hundred years the receive for protect the absolute being. Jot down according to the east ancient works, three belong to the sheep, so at past, annually lunar calendar the beginning of February eight and August sheep day, the west clans of everyplace all want that the solemn and impressive fiesta of the white sand" the jade dragon ancestral temple"(namely north store) of river does obeisance three absolute being, having still at one self's in home to hold" fiesta three" rites. In addition to fiesta in addition to doing obeisance the activity, still need to carry on various text activity.

Because the beginning of February eight just when" ten thousand mountain teas bloom, bright spring days, again gradually become the west the people have an outing to swim the day of Chinese New Year. Annually this whole county have a holiday an combine to be arranged various festival activity in a specific way by the county government, if hold various exhibition crowd to swim the park to enjoy flower, convene relevant academic colloquium etc. Then visitors, such as tide, the full city, day and night song, noisy uncommon. Now three stanzas of west, became the most solemn and impressive and large and folk cultural grand occasion in river already.

Sanduo is the soul of snow mountain in all Naxi people’s mind. Because not only he protects Lijiang area but also helped the local people, he is a national hero, so on that day, the Naxi people hold a big celebration to sacrifice him.

Legend, long times ago, he was a hunter, his name is Abu Gaoding,one day he went to hunt with dog in snow mountain , on his way to the snow mountain, he discovered a big stone, the stone was very nice, so he liked it very much. Finally, he decided to take it to home. When he carried the stone and got to the middle of the mountain. He felt very tired. He had a little rest, after that, he continue to go. But the stone got more and more heavy, he couldn’t move it any more, it looked growing in the mountain. When the hunter came back to his home. Telling the strange events about this stone to every body. So all of people thought that was the symbol of the snow mountain, and went to mountain to see that stone. When the local people arrived by the stone, it is very strange for them to see a man who wore white clothes, white hat, held a sword on hand and ride a white horse. It was very supernatural. He could help the Naxi people. the enemy during wars also he could forbid the flood and fire. So in yuan Dry the emperor gave statue and made temple there called Baiyuemiao.

On 8th , Feb lunar month. The naxi people will go to the temple where the sanduo is staying. Put something offering to sacrifice. Like pig, sheep, fish and so on. I remember, in most of village, the young boys and girls will have a big picnic together in the open air. At that day, in the morning, we will ready for all things that had cooked, different vegetable and fruits. Before that day, we discussed where should we go picnic or how to have a picnic, at last, we choose a good place where have water and shady place. At this place, we built cooking stove by ourselves, most times used stone to built. Another when we change good place where not in the mountain, because sometimes during that time the windy was very strong so very dangerous, so most we will change the place where not very far from our village or near the lake and clean it very cleanly. Form each family, the lunch and dinner we had cooked together and ate food together, after had lunch and washing, we began to play different games, like singing, dancing, play cards and so on. I think it is very interesting. It is a good festival for us. Baishuitai is located samba county of shangri—la, baishuitai was souse land of dongba religion.

Legend, the baishuitai was built by naxi ancestor on the 8th , Feb lunar month, so this day has became a white. The naxi people days to worship god baishui. At that day, the people came from baidi village and other place came to baishuitai together. In the morning of that day, the local people will wore new clothes, took many offering and food came to baishuitai. The first, every family came to dragon pool near baishuitai held a ceremony, next began to cook used the fireplan by themselves family. After have dinner the dongba scriptures before the ceremony. This day, singing and dancing fun to became a major scenery in baishuitai, the Naxi people enjoy singing baishuitai and life.