Gelao Intangible Cultural Heritage: Gelao Maolong Festival

"Gelao Maolong" is a form of folkloric expression of Gelao people in Shiqian, which has been passed down from generation to generation, and is mainly passed down in Gelao villages such as Yanming and Longfeng in townships of Longjing and Tangshan in Shiqian County, Guizhou Province, and radiates to various ethnic groups of Dong, Miao and Tujia in the whole county. The Gelao Maolong is mainly active during the Lantern Festival, and some scholars theorize that the Maolong originated from the ancient Gelao worship of the "Bamboo King" and fertility worship.

On May 20, 2006, the Gelao Maolong Festival was approved to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.

Origin of the festival

Historically, the Gelao people living in Southwest China did not receive much attention from the ruling class and feudal literati, and there is no clear historical record of the origin of the Gelao Maolong. Some scholars speculate from the bamboo, the main material of Gelao Maolong, and its performance function of "seeking children" that Maolong should be originated from the ancient Gelao's worship of "bamboo king" and the worship of reproduction. The Mao Long should be originated from the ancient Gelao "Bamboo King" worship and reproduction worship.

The story of "Tang Wei Zheng's dream of beheading the son of the old dragon with golden bones" is circulating among the Gelao in Yenming area of Longjing Township, and it is said that "Gelao Maolong" is the eldest son of the old dragon with golden bones, which is the same as the story of "Speaking of Tang" in chapter and verse. The story of "Wei Zheng dreaming of beheading the son of the old dragon" basically matches with the story of "Speaking of Tang" in the chapter book. In addition, according to the record of "Shiqian County Records", "Lights from the Tang Dynasty", "Gelao Maolong" belongs to "Lights" in the local area, "Gelao Maolong" is the son of the old dragon. "Lights" of a kind, so it can be speculated: "Gelao Maolong" can be followed to the period of the Tang Dynasty. From the Republic of China "Shiqian County Records" recorded "Gelao Maolong" activities in the territory of the main situation, the end of the Qing Dynasty until the eve of liberation, "Gelao Maolong" prevalent in the county's various ethnic villages.

Inheritance value

The inheritance of the ancient Gelao Maolong Festival, although mainly spontaneous and natural, is more casual, but from the perspective of the identity of the role of the ceremony hosts, the tie art, and the performers of the dragon's head and the dragon's tail, it still shows the prescriptive nature of the inheritance.

"Gelao Maolong" has rich cultural value, showing unique ethnicity, regionality and various social functions, and it is a valuable treasure for the study of ancient Gelao culture

traditions.

"Gelao Maolong" is an expression of the folk beliefs of the Gelao people in Shiqian, which has been passed down for generations, mainly in the Gelao villages of Yanming and Longfeng in Longjing and Tangshan townships of Shiqian County, Guizhou Province, and its performances have radiated to various ethnic groups in Dong, Miao and Tujia all over the county. Shiqian, located in the northeastern part of Guizhou Province and belonging to Tongren region, is a small mountainous county deep in the hinterland of northeastern Guizhou. Within the territory of the complex terrain, diverse geomorphology, more underground hot springs, natural ecology is well preserved, also has the "hot springs of the township" reputation. Shiqian has a long history of civilization, as early as in the Qin Dynasty, that is, in the county built Yelang County. There are 13 ethnic groups in the county, including Han, Gelao, Dong, Miao and Tujia, with Gelao being the most populous ethnic group in the county. People of all ethnic groups have been living in harmony for generations, showing a unique open-mindedness. "Gelao Maolong" is rooted in such a cultural ecological environment.