The traditional Lisu culture of Gudang Village in Maji Township

The traditional Lisu culture of Gudang Village in Maji Township

　　 The Traditional Lisu Culture Reserve of Gudang Village is located in Maji Township, Fugong County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. The Gudang administrative village has 306 households with a total population of 1,142, among which five natural villages around the village office consist of 178 households and 646 people. The per capita income is 580 yuan (2004). Gudang Village is famous as a homeland of traditional Lisu costumes and folk songs, often referred to as the “Village of Beautiful Women.”

　　The village is situated deep in the Biluo Snow Mountains, built along the mountain slope at an altitude of 1,890 meters, with a forest coverage rate of 98%. Four small rivers converge at the end of the village before rushing out through a gorge. Nearby there are two waterfalls and two hot springs, offering an excellent ecological environment. It is also a key transportation route to Weixi County and Gongshan County. Crossing the Biluo Snow Mountains takes about 10 hours to reach Weixi County. The Lisu people here migrated from Weixi County in the late Qing Dynasty. The traditional architectural styles and village layouts have been well preserved. The process of selecting sites, materials, constructing houses, and moving in has consistently followed traditional methods. Among the various types of traditional Lisu houses, 62% are traditional bamboo and wood structures with “thousand-legs-on-the-ground” design and thatched roofs, 22% are similar structures with asbestos tile roofs, and 16% are brick-and-wood constructions. Gudang Village still retains traditional weaving and lacquer oil extraction crafts, serving as supplements to farming and gathering livelihoods.

　　Lisu clothing is simple and elegant, with fine craftsmanship. Women’s attire primarily features red and white colors, with sleeveless right-buttoned tops and handmade linen skirts, often decorated with blue and red stripes or lace on the hem. A long chain of shells called “La Ben” is worn diagonally over the left shoulder along with red and white beads, while multiple strands of beads are hung as chest ornaments. Below the “La Ben” and beads, several yarn balls are tied, adding a bright and beautiful touch. Traditional men’s wear is based on black and white tones, featuring a knee-length white robe with a black jacket worn over it, resembling a magpie — hence called the “Magpie Suit.” Nowadays, lace trim is commonly added to the collar, cuffs, and front lapels. Adult men typically carry a “Nu Knife,” a crossbow, and wear a fur quiver for arrows, exuding a heroic and rugged aura. Women wear bead hats called “Zone Oh Le,” made of red and white beads and shells, while men wear cloth hats about one foot high with a red cloth tassel hanging on the right side as decoration.

　　Folk literature holds an important place in Lisu traditional culture. Gudang Village preserves a wealth of myths, nursery rhymes, poems, proverbs, legends, and more, such as “The Orphan Who Found the Dragon Girl,” “The Monkey Spinning Hemp Thread,” “The Story of the Rabbit and the Fox,” “The Story of Gua Mu Bi Fighting the Ghost,” and “The Dog Eating the Sun.”

　　Lisu folk songs are rich in content and diverse in form. Popular songs in the area include love songs “You Ye,” narrative songs “Mu Guo,” children’s songs “Ran Ni Dou Shi,” wedding songs “Chi Zhi Dou E,” lament songs “A Shuang Ji E,” and funeral songs “Shi E Dou E.” Traditional musical instruments include the plucked instrument “Qi Ben,” short flute “Di Li Tu,” bamboo flute, three-blade jaw harp, single-blade jaw harp, and leaf whistles. The Lisu folk dance is called “Qian E Qian,” with many types including harvest dances, celebratory dances, wedding dances, animal-mimicking dances, weaving dances, and hemp-washing dances. Most are group dances, performed in lines or circles, with steps moving forward and backward, rhythmically changing according to the music.

　　Ethnic recreational and sports activities are abundant. In addition to traditional archery, there are also ball games, bamboo pole climbing, zip-lining, shooting at “Baba” (a type of dough target), egg shooting, wrestling, swing riding, knee-bumping contests, and seesaw competitions — all used for physical fitness, festive competitions, and performances.

　　The traditional festival “Kuo Shi Jie,” or the Lisu New Year, is celebrated annually on December 20th. Nowadays, Kuo Shi Jie has become an official festival of Nujiang Prefecture. Each year during the festival, the whole village gathers at the village office for various activities, singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, and joyfully celebrating the occasion.

　　The rich and colorful traditional culture of the Lisu people is well preserved in Gudang Village. The villagers determine the seasons by the phases of the moon to arrange farming activities. They also have their own traditional folk medicine. The village maintains a fine tradition where no one picks up lost items on the road, and doors remain unlocked at night.