There's always a story that will make you unforgettable, and there's always a place that will keep you coming back. To the east of Guizhong, north of the Tropic of Cancer, among the hills of the plain, stands a misty sea cloud mountain of more than 2,000 square kilometers - Dayao Mountain. Founded on May 28, 1952, Jinxiu is the earliest Established Yao Autonomous County in China and a pearl embedded in the Dayao Mountain National Nature Reserve. Mr. Fei Xiaotong, a famous anthropologist and sociologist, once said: "The World Yao Research Center is in China, and the Chinese Yao Research Center is in Jinxiu." Jin Xiu is therefore known as the "Yao Capital of the World". Jinxiu has five Yao tribes, Panyao, Chashan Yao, HualanYao, ShanziYao and Aoyao, which are the counties with the largest number of Yao tribes in the world, and Yao compatriots have migrated here for more than 600 years. It is almost the largest Yao population in the world, and is the area with the most colorful Yao culture and the most complete preservation of Yao language and traditional culture.
More than 80 years ago, 25-year-old Fei Xiaotong and his new wife Wang Tonghui came here to start their first social investigation during their honeymoon. After more than 2 months of arduous and fulfilling investigation, the two got lost in a transfer, Fei Xiaotong fell into a trap, and Wang Tonghui was unfortunately killed on the way to ask for help alone, leaving a lamentable Song of Yaoshan Mountain. At that time, Fei Xiaotong and his wife's work mainly included "ethnographic research" and "special ethnic social organization and other cultural characteristics" two parts. The unexpected departure of his wife did not make Fei Xiaotong afraid, he turned his grief into strength, sorted out and published the results of their joint investigation - "Hualan Yao Social Organization", taking Jin Xiuyao Mountain as the starting point of academic investigation, and firmly moving towards the peak of academic research in anthropology and sociology. After that, Mr. Fei Xiaotong, who was concerned about Yaoshan Mountain, revisited his hometown Jinxiu five times.
Because the main part of Dayao Mountain is in the territory of Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, it is also called Jinxiu Dayao Mountain. Jinxiu Dayao Mountain has more than 500 square kilometers of Danxia-like landform landscape, which is "the kingdom of clouds and the labyrinth of fog." Stepping into Jinxiu, looking around, is a lush mountain range, a cloud of white clouds floating on the mountainside, or covering the top of the mountain, the mountains looming, like a shy girl, half covered by the pipa. The small river in the center of the county is particularly clear and shallow, gently blowing through the small stones on the river beach. On the banks of the river are rows of houses, green tile wooden doors, which wind along the river, and occasionally carved wooden railings can be seen on one or two houses, and the people of Yaodu open their doors to do business on this main street. The sky is always wet, the clouds are floating overhead, and often sprinkle fine rain, making the whole Jinxiu County moist, especially quiet under the caress of the drizzle and the mountains.
The terrain of Jinxiu is a karst landform, with strange peaks and strange ridges, many water flows, stone peaks towering, and flying waterfalls flowing clouds. Because the mountains are surrounded by water and the climate is humid, the clouds are low, always like a tulle, coiled around the mountainside, and then the mountains reach out to their heads. More than 500 square kilometers of scenic spots are connected from northeast to southwest, including Heaven Ridge, Lotus Mountain, Luohan Mountain, Shengtang Mountain, Wuzhi Mountain and Longjun Mountain. Among them are especially noteworthy lotus and templar mountains. The main peak of Lotus Mountain is 1350 meters above sea level. Overlooking the entire mountain, it resembles a lotus flower with buds waiting to be released, hence the name Lotus Mountain. Walking into lotus mountain, looking out from the parking platform, on the one hand is the winding mountain road and terraces, on the other side is the vast sea of clouds, supported under people's feet, making people feel as if they have crossed the red dust and stepped into the celestial realm, and the water vapor is qiong pulp jade dew, which makes people drunk and relaxed. The Sacred Church Mountain is the highest peak in Guizhong. The peaks are hidden in the clouds all year round, the sunrise is red, and the sunset is rolling in the sea of clouds. Luohan pine is vigorous and upright, evergreen in all seasons, or snake dancing in the sky, or misty and green; the ancient southern hemlock is beautiful and beautiful, symbolizing peace and harmony; every May, the unique color-changing rhododendrons of The Sanctuary Mountain spread throughout the mountains, and the mountain winds are everywhere, and the fall is colorful.
Mr. Fei Xiaotong's 16-character motto on ethnic relations - "the beauty of each other, the beauty of beauty, the beauty of beauty and the commonality, and the unity of the world" is worthy of the name in Jinxiu. Jinxiu has a total of 5 Yao branches of Chashan Yao, Ao Yao, Hua Basket Yao, Pan Yao and Shan Zi Yao, who have their own characteristics in language, social organization, customs and customs, and costumes. At that time, Mr. Fei Xiaotong spent a long time in the Guixing Newsletter about the religious activities and dancing traditions of the Yao people. The cultures of the five Yao tribes have their own characteristics, and each has its own unique festival activities. Nowadays, with the help of the government, special festivals such as Agu Festival, Lingsheng Festival, Rhododendron Festival, Panwang Festival, and Merit Festival continue throughout the year, attracting millions of tourists to visit and play every year. At the last stop of Fei Xiaotong's first Yaoshan trip, Xiaguchen Village, visitors can not only see the relatively complete traditional Yao village, but also the national intangible cultural heritage huangni encouragement that has been passed down for thousands of years, and the stunts such as "going up the knife mountain and going down to the sea of fire" will also surprise them. In addition to participating in the Yellow Clay Encouragement Performance, Pan Zhiming, a 70-year-old Yao compatriot, also made his own handicrafts such as yellow clay drums and masks to sell. It takes eight or nine days to finely craft a drum, a pair of large drums for 2800 yuan, a pair of small drums for 1200 yuan, by many cultural researchers and tourists love.
Xiaguchen Village is a small village dominated by AoYao, known as the only Aoyao Museum in Guangxi, an important base for the study of Yao people in China and even in the world, and was selected as a "traditional Chinese village". The houses in Xiaguchen Village are built on the mountain, and most of the house structures are based on stone blocks, with stone blocks, yellow mud, grass ribs as walls or direct ramming of mud as walls, with wooden frame tiles; there are also a small number of houses that are brick walls and wooden frame tile structures. Most of the village gates, laneways, walls, vegetable garden parapets, etc. are built with stones. There are also a variety of dance ceremonies in the village of Ao Yao in Xiagu Chen Village. Among them, the Yellow Clay Inspiration is a dance full of mystery and conveys a message of ancient labor. In this dance, the men either recite words in their mouths, take a slow step and hesitate to meditate in the sound of yellow mud drums; or swing their arms, the drums are agitated, and jump wildly; there are also antics that imitate fishing and catching mountain frogs. But in any case, the sound of the drums, the dance with the ancient chanting, is permeated with an ancient clumsy truth, goodness and beauty.
Xiagu Chen Village also inherits the ancient skill that the Ao Yao people are proud of: licking the fire. Those who have mastered the secret of licking the fire become the most magical clan in their hearts, and are revered as the Master Gong. Only when the festivals unique to Ao Yao are held and when there is a patient who needs to suppress evil spirits will Ao Yao show this magical "spell". The fire-licking ceremony is simple and mysterious, and the scene is so incredible: the flames of the roaring fire jump on a pile of dry firewood, and the teacher holds a rusty old sword in his hand, chanting an ancient incantation, and suddenly rushes into the fire and pulls out a charcoal head that has been burned red. He stuck out his tongue, squeaking, squeaking... Three or five strokes, licking the fiery red charcoal head out, while he was unscathed.
The beautiful ecological environment and the local simple cultural customs and traditions have made Jinxiu Dayao Mountain a rare longevity town in the country, and has been awarded the title of "China's Longevity Town". In September last year, Jin Xiu was awarded the title of "China Natural Oxygen Bar" by the China Meteorological Service Association. Jinxiu is also the largest and most important water source forest area in Guangxi, with a large number of animals and plants in the forest area, and is the second largest species gene bank in the country after Xishuangbanna, and is praised by experts as "Wanbao Mountain" and "carbon reservoir, reservoir, oxygen reservoir, species gene bank". Jin Xiu Dayao Mountain, a place waiting for you to experience with your heart, discover with your eyes, and record with your lens.
【Author】 Wang Cheng, Chief Planner of China's 56 Nationalities and Eat All 56 Nationalities, Special Advisor in the Field of Humanities of the China Explorers Club. Media contributor, Leto Travel Network Super Inspiration Traveler. Workers, peasants, merchants, and soldiers seem to be in full possession, can go from nine to five, and there are also poems and far away. May we always be young and full of tears as we walk. The ownership of the pictures and text in this article belongs to the author, please sign the reprint, and do not use them for commercial purposes without permission. Please contact the author for any other needs. (WeChat: 18612630430)