Baoxu Zhuang Nongdong Festival

Guangxi
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Baoxu Township is located in the southwest of Daxin County, 51 kilometers away from the county seat. It borders Leiping Town, Kanxu Township, and Shuolong Town in the county, and Jinlong Town and Zhubu Township in Longzhou County. County Road 533 runs through the entire township, with convenient transportation. The township has 1 community and 5 administrative villages, with a total population of 18,625. The area is beautiful with clear water and beautiful scenery, and the people are simple and honest. The simple short-clothed Zhuang people live here, with rich folk customs. The language, clothing, diet, customs and other aspects still retain the obvious characteristics of the ancient Zhuang tribes. It is a relatively complete section of the traditional ethnic cultural form in the southwest of Guangxi. The "2.19" Nongdong Festival in Baoxu has a long history. According to historical records, it was brought to Baoxu by a Guangdong man named Liu in 1811, the 15th year of Jiaqing, and it has a history of more than 200 years. Since then, every year on the 19th day of the second lunar month, Baoxu Street has held a grand pre-festival sacrificial ceremony to carry Guanyin in the street. The preparations for the parade started at 8 a.m. on February 18 of the lunar calendar. First, the Baoxu Street Dragon Dance Team went to the foot of Guanyin Mountain to invite Guanyin down the mountain. Then, several respected elders on the mountain washed their hands and bodies, and carefully walked down the mountain from the cave with a red silk holding the Guanyin statue. They respectfully placed the Guanyin statue in the center of the Dahua Bridge, and then carried it to the altar in the street square for people to worship. The parade ceremony was held at 10 a.m. on February 19 of the lunar calendar. Four handsome boys and four beautiful girls happily carried the Guanyin statue in front, and several handsome men and beautiful girls from wealthy families dressed up carefully and rode tall horses to follow. Then there were actors in costumes, dragon dance teams, lion dance teams and happy people paraded along the streets. The people in the team played the eight-tone music and beat gongs and drums. In front of every household on the street, there are incense tables with offerings. Wherever Guanyin goes, there are firecrackers and cheers, and the festive atmosphere is everywhere. After the parade is over, people will place the Guanyin statue on the altar in the square, and put a whole roasted pig, chicken, duck, fish, tea, wine, and fruits on it. For three consecutive days, incense will be burned continuously for people to worship. On February 19th, people in Baoxu Street will gather together to eat Shenfu porridge. The so-called Shenfu porridge is a large pot of meat porridge cooked by each household donating rice and money to buy rice and meat. After the Shenfu porridge is cooked, people will worship Guanyin first to show respect, and then all men, women, old and young in the street will happily eat the Shenfu porridge with their own bowls and chopsticks. It is said that eating Shenfu porridge will allow Guanyin Bodhisattva to see people's pious hearts, and thus bless every household to get rid of diseases and disasters, and good luck will come one after another, and people's hearts will also get great comfort and peace from it. On this day, Cantonese opera and tea-picking dance performances are held, as well as cockfighting, dog fighting, thrush fighting, firecracker grabbing, folk song singing and other activities to celebrate the Nongdong Festival.

Intangible culture related to the heritage

China tourist attractions related to the heritage