Overview of Zhuang folk customs

Zhuang nationality has established a ritual through social customs in the specific regional living environment and historical conditions, and in the long-term production practice and social communication. It is the historical accumulation of national culture. These customs are an important part of the nation's long-standing material culture and spiritual culture, the basic elements of national characteristics, and the link between people. The main features of Zhuang customs are as follows:

(1) Adjust life around production. Zhuang nationality is a farming nation famous for its rice cultivation, and most festival activities are carried out with the production season and farming rhythm. For example, Spring Festival, Cow Duet, Farming Festival, Cow Soul Festival (Off-yoke Festival, Cow Worship Festival), Miao Festival, Valley Soul Festival (Pinxin Spring Festival), and Ciba Festival. In ancient times, the harvest celebration was also regarded as a festival to welcome the New Year and was called "the prime of life". Although these rituals and customs around various important life links are primitive forms of sacrifice, they have the significance of mobilizing production and enriching expectations, pinning their wishes for a better life and playing an active role in regulating labor life.

(2) Mutual respect, unity and cooperation. Due to the strong seasonality of rice production, under the historical conditions of low productivity, the farming process depends entirely on group strength. "All farming and harvesting are cooperative, and they are ancient" (Zhen 'an County Records), "No matter whether they help each other or not, they are stingy" (Chiya). There are hundreds of gangs in a family, and everyone is in trouble, and one person is in trouble. This is the traditional practice of Zhuang society. In many places, when carrying out important production and living activities, various forms of non-governmental mutual aid organizations often appear, such as "rotating grazing" and "accompanying workers", as well as "marriage meeting", "longevity meeting", "building a new meeting", "water conservancy meeting" and "road building meeting". Through these custom media, the spirit of unity and mutual assistance can be exerted to resist all kinds of difficulties, realize the survival and development of * *, and enhance the cohesion within the nation.

(3) Life is singing and optimistic. Zhuang nationality has been famous for its ability to sing and dance since ancient times. The Records of Yancheng (Governing Binyang County, Guangxi) written by Wu Yun Dai Liang in the Southern Dynasties records that "rural songs have become a common practice". In the Ming Dynasty, Kuanglu's "Chiyu" said: "The first day of the first month is in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the third day of March is in the Mid-Autumn Festival". People regard singing as an important etiquette for festivals and social activities, and singing as a sign of intelligence and wisdom. It has become a universal necessity. "Both Zhuang men and women regard singing as one of the most important issues in their outlook on life. People can't sing, they are lonely and unhappy in society, they lack the possibility of courtship, they can't be called knowledgeable people, they can only be called idiots like pigs "(close to Liu Xifan's" Ridge Table and Man "). Therefore, the "song club" where groups can sing in festivals has always been popular. Social activities are endorsed by songs, and men and women choose their spouses according to songs. Song-style social life reflects the cultural and psychological characteristics and optimistic national character of Zhuang nationality.

(4) With the civilization of society, old habits are gradually changing. Zhuang nationality has an open character, and its society is not closed. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, they have lived together extensively with the Han nationality and other fraternal nationalities, kept close contacts and intermarried with each other. National cultures, including customs and habits, are also absorbing, merging, changing and developing each other. For example, the marriage custom of "inviting husbands to the family" (that is, adopting children by wives) of Zhuang nationality has a certain resistance to feudal concepts such as "son preference" and "obedience to husbands" and their marriage system, while the universal marriage between Zhuang nationality and Han nationality is more conducive to absorbing advanced culture and technology and seeking their own development through "mutual integration"; At the same time, the custom of "staying in the family" of Zhuang nationality has been gradually changed. For another example, the Spring Festival of the Han nationality has long been a festival of the Zhuang nationality, and it has also given it national form and content. At the same time, during the Spring Festival, there are traditional celebrations such as "playing dragon and lion" (pole dancing) and singing folk songs. The vulgar device of "fireworks grabbing" originated from the pursuit of heirs has now become a traditional sports event of Zhuang nationality. The long-established March Song Festival "Langge", or "Song Club", has now developed into a "March 3" song club activity celebrated by people of all ethnic groups in Zhuang areas.

As a folk cultural phenomenon, the emergence, evolution and development of Zhuang customs are determined by the level of material production in a certain historical stage and restricted by the structure of social life. With the progress of the times, those ancient customs and habits have gradually become historical relics, but the original belief consciousness and some rules and regulations remain in remote areas. Due to the imbalance of economic and cultural development in different places and the differences of natural environment and living conditions, the social fashion of Zhuang nationality presents various phenomena.