Hani custom in green spring: carrying "holy water"

In Luchun County, Honghe Prefecture, every Hani Mountain Stronghold has a water well common to the whole village. Most of the wells were near the village or by the dense woods at the foot of the village when the village was built. In the past, the whole village relied on that well for their daily necessities. Now most Hani Village has tap water. The villagers almost rely on it for their water use. However, several times a year, every household in the village has to go to the well to collect water, commonly known as carrying "holy water."

The Hani people living in Lvchun have a festival or sacrificial activity, big or small, almost every month. However, no matter whether it is celebrating the New Year or the festival, it does not deviate from the meaning of worship or begging for the water body. Especially in June and October every year, we carry "holy water" into the well, which further reflects the meaning of "holy water".

In the year of June, it was called "Kuzzha" in Hani language. It was an activity to ask "holy water" taken from well water to sacrifice the god "Ruszui Aping" in the hearts of the Hani people, in order to pray that the god would bless the people of Hani. Celebrating the "June Year" is the first rat day in the sixth month of the lunar calendar every year. On this day, when people fall asleep on weekdays, Migu Apo (Longtou) in the stockade first went to the well to get "holy water", and then every household rushed to the well to carry the "holy water", which the Hani people called "Ou Qiuhuo". The process of carrying "holy water" is very serious. First, you must use bamboo tubes to collect water and carry water. Secondly, no matter who you meet on the road, you cannot say hello on the road. You can only consciously queue up and quietly collect water. The water retrieved must not be contaminated in any way, and people who go to collect it must wash their faces and hands at home. When you get to the well, you must wash your hands, feet and face again. After washing the bamboo tube, you must empty the ladle and pump water three times before pouring water into the bamboo tube to show that the water has not been polluted. After taking the holy water home, he used it to cook tea, meat and other sacrifices and presented it to the god "Russian Api".

The Year of October is called "foetal puncturing" in Hani language. It is a sacrificial activity for the Hani people to celebrate the New Year and use holy water taken from the well to sacrifice to their ancestors. On this day of the year, villagers clean the way to the well. People think this is a good opportunity to do good deeds. Especially newlyweds, who compete to clean the environment around the well. Just like in June, the process of taking holy water from the well is also very serious, and the procedures are the same. After the holy water is carried back, it is used to cook tea and meat to sacrifice ancestors. This day. Every family in Hani would place a bowl of holy water carried from a well in a porcelain bowl on the altar table, and put a coin in it. The purpose was to give the deceased ancestors the holy water from their hometown all year round, and they would have endless blessings all year round. There is no hunger and thirst under the nine springs. The ancient Hani song sings: "During festivals, animals are killed and sacrificed to our ancestors. If the calves of the cocks are not clean, they must be washed with holy water. If the lips of the hens are not clean, they must be washed with holy water and washed with the sweet water opened by the ancestors..." This reflects the piety of the Hani people in worshiping their ancestors.

The custom of Hani carrying holy water in green spring is to worship the water god and give the people good weather, good grain yields, and peace for people and animals. These customs embody the hard-working, simple and kind qualities of the Hani people. (Bai Aqiang)