Wrapping thatch to filter wine

Wrapping thatch to filter wine

　　“Wrapping thatch to filter wine” is an ancient sacrificial ritual of the Chu people, preserved as an independent song-and-dance performance passed down through generations by the “Duan Gong Dance” shamanic dance troupe in Xueping Town, Nanzhang County, Hubei Province. The main content involves worshipping deities, praying for peace and prosperity for the living and future generations, dispelling disasters and misfortunes, and hoping for abundant harvests.

　　　　According to classical texts and research by historians of Chu culture, the performance of “Wrapping thatch to filter wine” is described as follows: “In ancient sacrificial ceremonies, people would bundle thatch upright and pour wine over it. The dregs would remain in the thatch while the liquid seeped down, as if the gods were drinking it—this was called ‘filtering wine.’ Alternatively, ‘filtering wine’ was thought to mean using fragrant grasses such as yellow thatch and sweetgrass, bundled into a certain shape, to act as a filter to remove impurities. The Chu people’s brewed liquors (sweet wines with dregs) and brews (cloudy wines, i.e., mixed juice and sediment) would, after being filtered through such devices, not only yield a clear liquid (also called ‘decanted wine’ at the time) but also produce a fragrant wine.” The specific practice of the shamanic dance troupe in Xueping Town, Nanzhang County, is as follows: When it begins to get dark, the shamans place their prepared ritual implements (props) on the altar, light a large fire, and begin by placing a rectangular tray filled with fine sand on a platform about 50 centimeters high. A bundle of wild thatch is then placed in the center of the tray. The ritual group consists of 3–5 or 5–7 members, with one person kneeling in the middle and one person standing on each side. The person on the left holds a pot filled with corn wine, pouring it into a cup held by the person on the right, who then passes it to the one kneeling. The musicians on both sides start playing their instruments and take turns singing. The kneeling person sprinkles the first cup of wine onto the thatch. Then the person stands up, leading the ritual group in circling the blazing fire, performing and playing instruments while walking, completing the first round. They return to the sand tray, where the kneeling person kneels a second time and sprinkles the second cup of wine from the inside out, gradually expanding the area in a circular or square pattern until it spills beyond the tray, then they repeat the circuit for the second round. Back at the sand tray, the kneeling person kneels a third time and slowly pours the third cup of wine onto the thatch, then completes a third circle. This can be repeated 5–7 times, but at least three rounds are performed. During the wine-pouring, movements are slow and accompanied by chanting. Afterwards, they rise and lead the ritual music and dance group in singing and dancing, with one singer and the rest joining in at the final line, creating a solemn and reverent atmosphere. This form closely resembles the accounts in classical texts and the research of experts.

　　 In October 2003, China Central Television’s program “Journey Through China,” in the episode “Seeking Chu Tones in the Jing Mountains,” recorded and broadcast this “Wrapping thatch to filter wine” ritual from Nanzhang.

　　　　The performers of the ritual in Xueping explain that mountain folk believe worldly wine is murky, tainted or polluted. Only by filtering the wine through the sacred plant of thatch and the clean river sand can the purified, clear wine be offered to the gods and ancestors as a sign of devotion—only then will the deities and ancestors bless them with health and ward off plagues. Experts agree that “such refined wine is certainly more suitable for ritual use.” The shamanic dance troupe’s interpretation aligns largely with that of the experts.