Recording the culture of nostalgia (4) The seventh day of the Lunar New Year drives the "fox and wild cat": the nostalgia and inheritance of Maowan Village, Pengze.
Wen Ke Longrui (Expert Member of the Capital ** Think Tank Federation).
I have an appointment with the author In Pengzemaowan Village, a new village of B&B culture in Jiangxi Province, there is a unique folk activity, which takes place at about 5 p.m. on the seventh day of the first lunar month every year. At this moment, the teenagers of the whole village gather to participate in a special "fox and wildcat drive" ceremony.
The event was organized by the person in charge of the year and was attended by young people between the ages of 7 and 20. They beat gongs and drums, starting from the second house at the east end of the village, and went from house to house through the entire village. In each house, they would enter through the gate, walk to the chicken pen and pig pen in the kitchen, beat gongs and drums, shout loudly, and chant to expel the "fox and wild cat". The head of the household also prepared firecrackers and cooperated with the eviction team, firecrackers rang out in unison, gongs and drums shook the sky, and shouting and rippling. Then the procession went out the back door, then into the next house, and so on through all the houses of the village, and it took more than two hours to reach Xiaowang Village, the westernmost part of the village. This is a joint force, even though it is an expulsion, it is also a blessing.
It's not just a simple ceremony, it's culturally significant. The "fox and wild cat" here is not a real wild animal, but a symbol of the plague among poultry and livestock. In this way, the villagers pray for prosperity and abundant crops in the coming year. At the same time, it is also a general mobilization of the whole village, in which every family participates to fight against potential disasters and show the power of unity.
Xiao Xin (not his real name), who is in charge of catching foxes and wildcats this year, is only 18 years old, but he has been involved in the event for 12 years. He said that this event brought him a lot of joy and memories, and also made him cherish and understand the cultural traditions of his hometown more. Although he is about to enter college and the opportunities to participate in such activities may become less and less, he will always remember this nostalgia and keep it deep in his heart.
With the changes of the times, many traditional folk activities have gradually faded out of people's daily life. However, the "fox and wild cat drive" activity in Pengzemaowan Village has still been preserved and inherited. This is not only because it has deep cultural roots, but also because the villagers cherish and adhere to this nostalgia.
In these fast-changing times, perhaps we should cherish these traditional folk activities even more. They are not only part of our culture, but also a link between us and our past, our homeland, and our homeland. By participating in these activities, we can gain a deeper understanding of our cultural roots and be more appreciative and grateful for the land and people that once nurtured us.
The "Fox and Wild Cat" activity in Pengzemaowan Village is not only a display of folk customs, but also a transmission of nostalgia. It shows us that no matter how the times change, those cultural traditions that are deeply rooted in our blood will always be our most valuable treasure. Let us cherish and inherit this nostalgia together, so that it will shine more brightly in the new era.