Lisu festivals
When it is sunset, the firecrackers set off, a person from the Lisu ethnic minority sets fire on a pile of chestnut firewood. The fire is getting higher and higher and the roaring blaze reaches several meters high. When the smoke clears off, only a pile of charcoal fire is left. Upon hearing the crack of the firecrackers, five vigorous young men strive to jump into the fire sea where they start performance. Later on, some people lie down and turn over their body in the fire; some pick up glowing iron chains more than one meter long and as thick as the little finger, and swing them around; and some others hold the glowing charcoal and wash face. Each of them gives full play to his remarkable skill. When piles of glowing charcoal turning into ashes, the five strong men are streaming with sweat, but no burns or scalds are left on their bodies.
On the second day, the program of Sword Mountain is also held at the same place as Fire Sea. In the early morning, a crowd of people bundle swords and fresh flowers on two straight trunks. Every sword is sharpened; a bundle is made up of 36 or 72 swords, with the blades up. Then, the Sword Mountain is pricked up. At noon, the cracks of firecrackers, and the beating of gongs and drums convulse the mountains. Five men in black with red wrapper on the head and red band on the waist show up commandingly in the center of the ground. They greet the audience by a special folk courtesy. After an old retired actor of the Fire Sea and Sword Mountain toasts to each of the brave actors, they grasp in turn the hilt, step on the blades and climb upwards. The audience is uptight for them each time they climb up one stair.
Not only the courage is required, but also the skill is necessary for the Sword Mountain challenge. By a tiny carelessness, the feet will be wounded. The climbers are adroit like ape; they reach the top of the Sword Mountain in a little while. The climber that arrives the top first throws four red banners in four directions, and then sets off firecrackers to cheer for his triumph. Some brave and skillful climbers make a headstand. Being set off by blue sky and white cloud, their strong and vigorous bodies are high up in the air, the scene is so exciting that people keep applauding and cheering. When they come down, the five brave men look quiet and uplift their feet to the audience. The fact is that there are only traces of pressure of the blades, but nobody is wounded. People cheer and applaud again. It is said that the reason that actors of the Fire Sea and Sword Mountain dare to challenge the Sword Mountain and the Fire Sea is they have adopted a mysterious light power and tough power skills handed down from the family.
Harvest Festival
It is held between lunar September and October. The greatest activity of the Harvest Festival is that every family brews wine and tastes the fresh rice. Some families indeed brew wine while harvesting. They often dance and sing nightlong to their hearts' content.
Editor: Feng Hui
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