Wengding Primitive Village

　　Wengding Primitive Village The “Weng” in Wengding means water, and “Ding” means connection. Thus, Wengding translates to “connected waters.” The area features several small rivers that interconnect, which is how it got its name. Wengding Primitive Village is located 30 kilometers from the county seat, within the jurisdiction of Mengjiao Township. It consists of 98 households and over 400 residents.

　　The village is called a primitive village because it still retains many traditional customs and beliefs of the Wa ethnic group.

　　The Zhaizhuang (village pillar) is a totem worship symbol of the Wa people, typically located in the central dancing ground of the village. It represents human habitation and reproduction. The tallest pole is made of dragon bamboo, with several rings of bamboo strips as decorations at the top. Intentionally, some sharp bamboo strips are stuck on the upper part—these serve both as decoration and as objects to ward off evil, much like how the Han people use mugwort to ward off evil, peach wood to drive away ghosts, and door gods to protect homes. Below the bamboo rings is a one-foot-long wooden boat, symbolizing smooth sailing. Beneath the boat lies a wooden fish, representing abundance year after year. Where there is a boat, there is water; where there is water, there are fish—this signifies that the whole village will enjoy favorable weather and prosperity. Beside the flagpole is a human-height wooden tower pillar, roughly carved entirely with an axe. The tower body is whitewashed with quicklime, clean and silvery white. The wooden tower also bears some special patterns—dots, squares, triangles, and stripes—which represent the mountains, rivers, and all living things essential for survival. Next to the wooden tower and flagpole is another wooden stake with a wooden basin nailed to its top; this is the offering basin used for Buddhist ceremonies. At the base of the pole lies a cobblestone, representing the heart of the village. During festivals and celebrations, a five-foot-long white cloth flag is hung on the bamboo pole, incorporating Theravada Buddhist customs. At this time, every household brings food to offer to the Zhaizhuang, and the area around it is piled high with food and decorated with many small triangular flags used to worship spirits. Then, villagers of all ages gather around the Zhaizhuang to sing and dance, celebrating the year’s harvest and praying for favorable weather, abundant crops, and the prosperity of both people and livestock in the coming year. Therefore, the square where the Zhaizhuang stands serves not only as an important site for the entire village to worship gods and spirits and conduct religious ceremonies but also as an ideal place for the community to gather, celebrate festivals, and rejoice through song and dance. The Zhaizhuang of Wengding fully demonstrates that the Wa people have their own beliefs, aspirations, firm faith in their legends, and a deep hope and pursuit for a better life.

　　Regarding the dwelling places of the Wa people, legend has it that initially, each clan lived in its own village. To facilitate intermarriage, in the same area, several villages of different surnames would be located close to each other. Later, villages of different surnames merged into one, though members of each surname still lived in their respective sections. Though there were no clear dividing lines between the sections where different surnames lived, everyone in the village knew exactly which section belonged to which surname. For example, in Wengding Village, the Li family lived in the upper left, the Yang family in the upper right; the Xiao family in the lower left, and the Zhao family in the lower right. The Yang family was the founder of the village, so the village head was chosen from the Yang family.

　　Every Wa village has a sacred forest, with an ancient large tree serving as the dwelling place of the village god or tree god. The sacred forest of Wengding Village is located to the left of the village and also contains a worship house. During festivals or when major events occur in the village, people go there to perform worship rituals, praying for the gods and spirits to bless the village with peace, health, abundant harvests, and the prosperity of both people and livestock. No one dares to cut down trees in the sacred forest, which is why they grow very lush today. Additionally, the Wa people have an excellent tradition: after death, people are buried in the ground without tombstones. As a result, when digging new graves, old ones may sometimes be encountered. In such cases, you simply remove the bones first, then place them back at the bottom of the grave or outside once the new grave is fully dug—no one will accuse you of disturbing ancestral tombs. This is also a significant contribution by the Wa people to conserving land resources. When someone dies, the body can only remain at home for one day before burial. Offerings are made for three consecutive times, once every ten days. After the third time—thirty days later—the grave is no longer tended. This custom continues to this day.

　　The interior structure of Wa houses is primitive and unique. An iron tripod is essential in every household, used for making fires and cooking. The stove for boiling pig feed is usually built in the corner near the door. Once a new house is occupied and the hearth fire is lit, the flame must be kept alive and never extinguished—just as the Han people never let their ancestral incense die out—unless the house is being rebuilt, a major disaster occurs in the village, or the old year is being sent off. Only then can the fire be put out, and a new fire ceremony must be held.

　　In Wengding Village, the old fire is extinguished and a new one is lit on the first day after the lunar New Year’s Eve. At this time, the whole village jointly buys a young boar, and each household contributes some tea and rice to the site where elders drill wood to create new fire. After completing various religious activities, each household takes turns lighting a flame from the burning new fire pile with dry firewood to bring home and start their own new fire. This hearth fire, when not in use, is covered with ashes and uncovered and blown on when needed. Above the hearth is a kangba (a kind of shelf), mainly used for drying things. The simple shelf above the entrance is used for storing miscellaneous items. The three-legged stove placed by the Wa hearth symbolizes family unity, while the fire itself symbolizes family prosperity. Additionally, the Wa people liken the shelf above the hearth to the father and the shelf next to the hearth to the mother. Therefore, in the past, outsiders were not allowed to touch the hearth, the three-legged stove, the shelf, or the adjacent shelf. Directly opposite the hearth, facing the entrance, is usually the seat reserved for elders and honored guests—it is also the location of the elders’ sleeping quarters. The family generally sleeps around the hearth. Newlyweds may set up a separate room in the lower left area near the entrance. The lower right corner in front of the entrance is generally used for religious activities and ancestor worship. Furthermore, Wengding Village still maintains traditional crafts such as weaving, spinning, and dyeing, as well as customs like using hand pestles and foot pestles.

　　While maintaining its traditional beliefs, Wengding Village is moving forward together with the people of the entire county toward a new, civilized, healthy, and scientific way of life.