Traditional cultural stories of ethnic minorities

Yi Torch Festival Yi Torch Festival is a traditional festival in all Yi areas, which is popular in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other Yi areas. Bai, Naxi, Jinuo and Lahu also celebrate this festival. The Torch Festival on June 24th of the lunar calendar is the most grand, grand, spectacular and ethnic festival for the Yi people, and it is also a grand ceremony for the whole people. Torch Festival is usually held on June 24th or 25th of the lunar calendar for three days. On June 24th of the lunar calendar, bucket handle, the Big Dipper, pointed out that all ethnic groups in the Yi language branch should celebrate the Torch Festival. Some scholars believe that this festival was originally an annual festival in the October calendar of the Yi people, and the Torch Festival was also called Chinese Valentine's Day. There is a saying that "the New Year's Eve stars return to the sky", which is equivalent to the Chinese New Year in the Yi calendar. Therefore, it is also called China New Year.

There are different legends about the origin of Torch Festival. When it comes to the struggle between the gods and the land gods, people use torches to help the land gods destroy insects and defeat the gods. One is from Nanzhao unofficial history and Yunnan Department of Normal School. These two books contain: Pirog, the leader of Nanzhao, attempted to annex the other five imperial edicts and gathered them in Songming Building to burn them. Deng Ruo's wife advised her husband not to go, lest he be killed. Charity found her husband's body with shrewd wisdom and persistent love for her husband and buried it smoothly, so Yunnan people burned it with torches. The Sani people of the Yi nationality in Shilin regard the Torch Festival as a festival to commemorate the victory of the people's struggle with the devil. The Yi people in Wuding believe that after the Torch Festival, ears of grain will grow as thick as torches. Later generations used this as a sacrifice to drive away ghosts and evil spirits at home, so as to keep people and animals safe.

Although there are different opinions about the origin of Torch Festival, its origin is most directly related to the worship of fire. Its purpose is to use fire to repel insects and protect crops. Torch Festival is called "Du Ze" in Liangshan Yi language, which means "offering fire". In the two sacrificial songs "Sacrificing Vulcan" and "Sacrificing Pots and Sacrificing Stones", there are descriptions of the miracle of Vulcan Ayidiegu. The original form of Torch Festival, in short, is the ancient fire worship. Fire is a symbol of the Yi people's pursuit of light. In the Yi area, the worship and sacrifice of fire are very common. On June 24th, the first day of the first month, a housewife chose the fattest piece of meat and threw it into a burning fireplace, praying for Vulcan's blessing. In Yongren County, the Yi people sacrifice fire on the second or third day of the first month, which is called "Vulcan Meeting". Liangshan Yi people regard the fire pit as a sacred place where Vulcan lives, and it is forbidden to touch and cross it. On festivals, young men and women of all ethnic groups light torches made of pine, go to the fields in the village for activities, sprinkle rosin on the torches while walking, or hold rallies, sing and dance, or race horses, bullfights and wrestling. In modern times, people use the opportunity of parties to socialize or meet lovers, and conduct business activities on festivals.