The Blang Ethnic Group’s Jumping Festival

　　The seventh day of the second lunar month sees Hacai Village in Mulao Yuan Blang and Yi Ethnic Township, Shidian County, bustling with unusual activity.

　　On this day, villagers of all ages from five villages—Hacai, Xindiji, Hangushan, Xiahaizhai, and Shuigoujiao—in Mulao Yuan Township gather at the dancing square in Hacai Village to participate in the “Blang Ethnic Group’s Jumping Festival,” a cultural event spontaneously organized by the local Blang community.

　　The Blang Ethnic Group’s Jumping Festival is an annual cultural event for the Blang people. Due to historical reasons, this ancient and grand festival disappeared from the memories of the Blang people over 50 years ago. Recovering lost traditions and preserving their cultural heritage has long been the aspiration of the local elders.

　　With the development of new rural initiatives, improvements to the Li ethnic villages, and rising living standards, the now-prosperous Blang people spontaneously formed a traditional culture protection group and revived the grand festival known as the “Blang Ethnic Group’s Jumping Festival.”

　　The Blang Ethnic Group’s Jumping Festival is an original ritual of blessing and worship practiced by the Blang people. Lacking a written language, no records of the event have been found to date. In ancient times, Hacai Village had a venue for such activities called Dezhai Temple. Dezhai Temple was primarily a sacred site where the ancestors of the Blang people worshipped their forebears and prayed for blessings. Every year on the seventh day of the second lunar month, Blang villagers from the five villages of Hacai, Xindiji, Hangushan, Xiahaizhai, and Shuigoujiao in Mulao Yuan Township would gather here under the leadership of their five village chiefs to hold the Jumping Festival.

　　On the morning of the festival, the entire village observes a vegetarian fast in honor of their ancestors. By noon, people of all ages dress in their finest traditional Blang attire, showcasing the most beautifully stitched garments they’ve made, and celebrate the occasion through singing and dancing.

　　The worship ceremony sets up two altars in the square: one for the ancestors and one for heaven and earth. Five village chiefs, dressed in long robes and wearing ceremonial headdresses adorned with five pheasant feathers symbolizing their leadership, guide the villagers in song and dance to conduct the rituals. It is said that the choice of pheasant feathers also reflects the Blang people’s reverence for nature, living as they do in the mountains, and their determination to overcome hardships in pursuit of a better life. The seven men and seven women leading the ceremonies—each a village chief or a democratically elected female entrepreneur—are all clad in long robes, representing the two sevens of the second lunar month.

　　The altar dedicated to the ancestors features five large flowers of different colors—four surrounding a central red one—symbolizing the unity of the five villages. On either side of the altar are flags with poles made from whole golden bamboo, their green leaves signifying the flourishing life of the Blang people.

　　During the ceremony, fourteen chiefs and female representatives play three different traditional tunes—Xiao Fanzhuan (Small Flip), Da Fanzhuan (Big Flip), and Jiehui Diao (Festival Tune)—using instruments such as gongs, cymbals, drums, and masclets. As they circle the altar, they perform these ancestral melodies. Each tune is played three times around the altar, with rhythms gradually increasing in speed to represent the Blang people’s fearless and determined spirit. During the ritual, Blang chiefs also carry Dragon Well water, which is purified by pouring it over a heated plowshare to cleanse it of impurities before sprinkling it over the participants. Each attendee then welcomes this “divine water” to ward off illness. At the end of the ceremony, villagers from all five participating villages kneel to worship the ancestors and heaven and earth, praying for peace throughout the year, bountiful harvests, and the prosperity of livestock.

　　After the worship, the villagers engage in their favorite activity: dancing. “Da Ge” (beating the song) is a traditional Blang group dance used to celebrate grand festivals. With cheerful melodies and rich tunes, as soon as the rhythm of the gourd flute begins, villagers of all ages dressed in festive clothing joyfully join in the traditional Blang dance, celebrating the festival and welcoming a new life.

　　Address: Hacai Village, Mulao Yuan Blang and Yi Ethnic Township, Shidian County