In Yaozhai, a Zhuang township in Funing County, Yunnan Province, there are some old banyan trees or other big trees around almost every village, all of which are over 100 years old. Up to now, these ancient trees have thick trunks, lush branches and leaves, and are called "sacred trees" and "dragon trees" by the masses. The place where it grows is called "social god". Some trees are covered with small temples, some have three smooth stones, and some have only one incense burner, which is also called "Tree God" or "God", which is called "Mei Exhaustion" in Zhuang language, "Sa You" in Yao language and "Ye Bei" in Yi language. A mountain forest around Zhai Shengshu is called "Zhailin, Longlin and Fengshui Forest". People living in the village should choose an auspicious day to worship under the tree at the turn of spring and summer every year, in order to bless the whole village with abundant crops, prosperous people and livestock and avoid disasters. ...
Sacrifice tree (network)
This custom of totem worship is a primitive religion that combines the worship of nature and ancestors. Plant totem worship originated from ancient primitive natural religion is also the beginning of forest protection tradition. Legend has it that dragons have a great influence on totem worship. According to "Tongzhi", "Fu came from the end of the river because he was negative about the dragon and the horse, so the official remembered the dragon, but he was a dragon teacher ... He ordered the amphibious family to be a navy division, rich in vegetation and dredging the source, and firewood was not idle at that time." The "amphibious division" may be an official who managed forestry in the legendary Dragon Totem era. With the changes of society, clouds, fire, water, dragons and birds are symbols of totems. These totem worship not only have signs, but also have a set of worship rituals and taboos.
Totem worship is a conscious activity of human beings. Ancient people loved nature. They believe that trees shed their leaves in autumn, sleep in winter, revive in spring, their roots extend to hell, and their crowns rise to the sky, connecting heaven and earth with the underworld. They are the embodiment of gods beyond nature and the symbol of mankind and the universe. Therefore, in order to worship the sacred tree and bless peace, every village holds one or two sacrificial activities every year. Han people call it "offering sacrifices to Longshan" and "offering sacrifices to the village head"; Zhuang people call it "waves"; Yao people call it "offering sacrifices to the gods"; Yi people call it "karma". Most of them are presided over by the elders in the village and take turns to be responsible. Each household raised funds to buy livestock, wine and vegetables, and led the whole village (some yards only went to one person) to clean the forest land under trees, slaughter livestock, offer wine and meat, and kowtow to worship. Participants shouted and prayed with the elders in the village: "Tree God! Your head is in the sky, your feet are on the ground, so that everyone in this village can be safe, the weather is good, the crops are abundant, and the six animals are prosperous, avoiding disasters ... "After the sacrifice, the slaughtered pigs and chickens are distributed according to households, and then symbolically eaten under the tree to show their reunion with the tree god. Everyone thinks that if we can taste the food sacrificed to the tree god, we can avoid disaster and be safe. It is also stipulated that during the three days of sacrificial activities, it is not allowed to burn a fire or break ground on the mountain. If there is any violation, it will be responsible for all the animal and food expenses of the sacrificial activities.
These customs not only have sincere blessings, but also have feelings of planting trees and loving forest protection. We have to kill two birds with one stone!
Planting "fruit trees" and "wedding trees": In some villages, planting "fruit trees" and "wedding trees" has a long history. When a woman is pregnant with a child, the family carefully cultivates several fir, pine or Chinese toon trees in front of the house or in the corner of the field. These trees will belong to the children after they are born. May trees grow with people. Men marry women and cut down a few trees to make cabinets; When building a new house, cut it into "red beams"; When you get old, cut it into a coffin for later use. Raise a "life-saving tree": Some cottages also raise an evergreen forest near the village as a "life-saving tree". When anyone gives birth to a child, the midwife will bury the "mother cell" (placenta) under the tree to show that the child and the tree share the same fate and grow up and live together. Everyone cares for this forest, and every family manages and nurtures it. Worship the "michel platini Tree": Some cottage customs, when raising children, in order to eliminate disasters and take refuge, live a hundred years. Parents prepare sacrifices, take their children to Longshan Woods, worship a big tree for michel platini, and pray for the holy tree to protect children from disasters, relieve pain and illness, and live a hundred years like a big tree. Planting "cool trees": Some cottages are at mountain passes or fork roads, protecting or cultivating one or several trees with shady green leaves as places for walking, working, tying horses and grazing to rest and enjoy the cool. Planting "village trees": planting one or several evergreen trees beside the village or in the center of the village as a place for gathering elders, discussing villagers' affairs or auspicious and festive festivals in the village, or chatting in the morning and evening.