Overview of vertebrate cattle

On a flat land, under colorful pillars, a water bottle rushed around, and a group of killers with darts quickly stabbed the water bottle. The cows were sacrificed to the ground, belonging to the same uncle, and the beef was divided. Hundreds of villagers played drums and sang all night. This is the Miao people's sacrifice to the vertebral cattle, which is called "ploughing" (instant cattle or "eating dirty") in Miao language. Seven years before Yongzheng, the sacrifice lasted for fourteen days and nights. Up to now, there are still more than 20 ceremonies in the whole hall, and "Niu Piao" is just one of them. Its purpose is to welcome ancestors and invite them back to Miao village to reunite with their children and grandchildren. The deity is Tiger Pan. According to the sacrificial procedures, there are: worship Raytheon, worship Chiyou and worship the ancestors of the main family; Serve tea and wine to the big uncle and the second uncle; Killing chickens to worship heaven; Give Ma Huan nine glasses of wine and nine bowls of meat; Jumping drums; To Shennong; To Tiger Pan; Seeking money and other programs. Miao people have an ancient legend that "suckles and loves horses" (in Chinese, it is "God Mother and Dog Father"). Emma is not the "painted dog" described in Historical Records, but the patriarch of the paternal clan with dogs as the totem. He and Naikui had seven sons. When these sons grow up, they all want to find their own biological father. Buffalo tells the truth, saying that it is Ma Huan, the biological father, regardless of his own children. The sons hated their father and killed him and ran away. Mother's nanny angrily chased her sons, trying to trade their seven lives for their father's. At the same time, the children's uncles and aunts were invited to testify on the spot. Persuaded by their uncles and aunts, they agreed to use seven cows instead of seven sons to atone. As a result, a grand "Zhuniu Festival" was born. Seven white cranes were erected on the cattle farm. The villagers played the roles of big uncle and second uncle, and the young sons and nephews of the mother's family took over the spear wheel. Up to now, there are still "Pan Hu Temple" and "Xin Nv Temple" in Huayuan and Luxi counties.

Once the Miao people's wish comes true, they choose the auspicious day of the ecliptic, prepare a buffalo, a yellow cow, a pig and a rooster, and then ask Miao Laosi to return Daniel's wish, that is, the Spine Cattle Association. Zhu Niu's site is located in a spacious courtyard dam. In front of the dam, there is an altar and a tent. Two "general posts" were erected in front of the bill. General cylinders are engraved with patterns of 18 diamonds and 33 rings, indicating the next 18 hell and the last 33 blue sky. Each general post is covered with a big ring, buffalo and ox are covered with a general post, and the horn and nose are tied to the ring. "Ba De" (Miao language, Miao Laosi), with a bamboo tube and a bell in his hand, said while knocking. It's called a ceremony. Four big-faced gunmen in prison clothes each set a fixed position, with spears in their right hands. As Budd's ceremony went on, they alternately stabbed Shui Gu's cow, making it growl and run around the general column several times. After Bud's ceremony was completed, four gunmen stabbed Shui Gu's cow to death. At this time, a group of people came out of the house to grab the cow, and four gunmen pulled the cow out. After a while, the four gunmen finally lost. Then the gunman hammered the ox to death, killed the pig to entertain guests, and the rooster was owned by Bud. After that, Bud made a ceremony to send cattle to heaven to worship Apci You.

It will take ten days before and after returning Daniel's wish. In the first seven days, Bader will do his work, and on the eighth day, he will hold a ceremony to train cattle. Since then, it has entered a large-scale celebration of Zhuniu. The celebration began with a door-to-door dialogue. A Miao singer stood at the gate, waiting for friends and relatives who came to attend the Zhuniu Club to sing in duets. If you meet the lead singer, it often takes a long time to duet. After the songs were paired, relatives, friends and neighbors from all directions flocked to Zhuniu Club to participate in various activities. However, there are several square tables in the venue, with cooked pork, beef, soup and other diets. In addition, a big gong and a big drum are hung on each side, pretending to be a monkey dancer, beating gongs and drums and jumping in between, which is called monkey encouragement. Friends and relatives who can sing and dance are also willing to participate. While eating meat and drinking, they stood on drums, waved their hands and sang and danced rhythmically. The scene is spectacular, the atmosphere is strong and the scale is grand. In the meantime, folk thrilling programs such as going up the knife ladder and stepping on the mouth will also be performed. When eating, drinking, singing and dancing were in the ascendant, the festival of cattle was over.

Returning to Daniel requires a solid material foundation, which ordinary people can't do. Since Feng Dayuan 193 1 took his son back to Daniel, for various reasons, Xiaomaopo Camp in Xuanen Miao Village has not held such a grand celebration for more than 70 years. It was not until 65438+February 3, 2003, the 20th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, that the traditional celebration-Bamboo Cattle was held, which reproduced the national spirit of the Miao people's firmness, courage, unity and hard work.