The sacrificial ceremony of the She ethnic group in Zixi

Jiangxi
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The sacrificial ceremony of the She ethnic group in Zixi (the third batch at the provincial level) is the most solemn sacrificial day of the She ethnic group on the third day of the third lunar month every year. The sacrificial ceremony is presided over by the clan leader or the most prestigious master of the clan. The day before the sacrificial ceremony, the temple (Huilun Temple) must be cleaned, utensils must be displayed, utensils must be washed, and sacrificial offerings must be prepared. After the offerings are prepared, on the day of the sacrificial ceremony, a gun is fired, and adult men from every household hold incense and candles and offer sacrifices to the ancestral hall. Women do not participate in the sacrifice, but only watch from the side. When entering the ancestral hall, they must half-kneel and squat, arrange the incense and candles on the offering table, and then stand aside. After three cannon shots, the music staff beat the gongs and drums used for sacrifice, and the ceremony officially began. The master set up the altar, holding the command knife and dragon horn, chanting the mantra "Eight treasures altar incense, smoke curling, connecting to heaven and the five directions", and began to invite the gods. The master half-squatted, crossed his left and right feet and jumped, turned the dragon horn with his left hand, and swung the command knife rhythmically with his right hand, and walked the five-way steps to train the five-way soldiers and horses. Then the five-way soldiers and horses came out holding their ancestral staffs, and the master began to train the five-way soldiers and horses, build city walls, start fires, set up oil pots, and open snow gates. When the fire was strong and the oil was boiling, the master used his magic power to put his hand into the boiling oil and stepped on the oil pot barefoot. Then the master flipped the five-way somersaults on his head to break the fire pit, and walked the five-way steps barefoot on the charcoal fire to pray for the villagers to eliminate disasters and pray for health and longevity. Finally, the master chanted mantras and burned incense paper to send the gods away. After the ceremony, the head of each household (or representative) takes away his own incense and candles and leaves in a half-kneeling position, placing the offerings on the ancestral shrine at home. Then the participants gather together for a feast and perform performances such as celebration dances, folk songs, and martial arts until the dawn sacrificial ceremony ends.

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