Research Into Chuantian Festival Of Xiangyang Folk Custom

Xiangyang, an economically and culturally developed city, is located in the heart of China and has convenient land and water transport, which makes it geographically advantageous. It was the political and cultural center of many dynasties in Chinese history, the cultural converging point of all directions, and the breeding ground of folk culture. Xiangyang folk culture is characterized by both colorfulness and beauty of Chu District, boldness and crudeness of northerners, which leave us splendid intangible cultural heritage. And Xiangyang custom of Chuantian Festival is typical of them. In Xiangyang, Chuantian Festival is wide spread and actively participated in with striking local characteristics. Influenced by the folk customs of Tianchuan Festival prevailing in the vast areas of North and South China, Chuantian Festival was gradually established in ancient Xiangyang, which featured Xiangyang’s unique location in the middle reaches of Hanjiang River and the romantic myth of Hanjiang Goddess. The cultural background of Xiangyang’s Chuantian Festival folk culture is the creation myth of The Goddess Mending the Sky, the legends of Tour Girl and Chuantian Love which depicts Zheng Jiaofu (Goddess of Han River) presenting pearl in the poem of Han Guang from The Book of Poetry. The Commentaries on Han Poetry changes the hero in Han Guang to Zheng Jiaofu, dramatically expands the story in Han Guang and exaggerates misty and lyric of Tour Girl, making it more elegant and romantic. Following The Commentaries on Han Poetry, Lie Xian Zhuan written by Liu Xiang loosely makes Yan Juan and Yan Yu (two concubines of King Zhou Zhao) the Han River Goddesses, who are the origins firmly believed by later generations. In order to commemorate this, Xiangyang people, as early as Han Dynasty, gathered spontaneously on the21st day of the lunar first month annually and went boating on the Han River to memorize the Han River Goddesses. They picked up stones, and tied a red ribbon on the forehead to pray for child bearing and happiness. After Han Dynasty, Tianchuan Festival celebrated in other regions became popular in Xiangyang, the converging point of the north and south. The connotation of Xiangyang’s Chuantian Festival had something in common with Tianchuan Festival in other areas. The Chuantian Stone, the Han River Goddess and folk activities like rafting, mixed with beliefs and customs of Tianchuan Festival, gradually evolved into local Chuantian Festival of Xiangyang. The grand events of the Chuantian Festival was first documented by Zhuang Zhuo (living in the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties) in his work Jilei Bian. It showed that the Festival was not only officially established, but also very popular for its unique festival rituals, folk symbol and cultural connotations. The Chuantian Festival is celebrated on the21st day of the lunar first month, including the activities of worshiping Han River Goddess worship, boating, picking up stones and other folk events. The Festival in old times contained the culturally genetic codes of reproductive worship, water worship, sex worship etc. The Festival perished after Southern Song Dynasty because of dual impacts from wars and other festivals like the Lantern Festival and Dragon Heads-raising Day. Over1000years later, in2006, Chuantian Festival revived in Xiangyang, and since then has been becoming a good time for people to go on excursions. The folk customs of the Festival have also changed a lot. The procedure for the ancient Chuantian Festival is:heading to the riverside-Han River boating-looking for Chuantian Stone-stringing the Stone with red silk ribbon-wearing the Stone on the forehead; modern procedure of the Festival is:opening ceremony-taking an oath of Protecting the Mother River of Han Jiang-changing songs on the Han River-picking up Chuantian Stone-Chuantian Stone exhibition-display of Xiangyang traditional folk culture theatrical performances like Happy Chuantian Festival, Love Pledged during Chuantian Festival-people’s performances such as Mask-wearing dance, dragon and lion dance etc. The procedure of contemporary Chuantian Festival has been modified from the tradition through ages, gradually forming the culturally profound and geographically distinctive folk culture traditions. The theme of the contemporary Chuantian Festival is to achieve communication and coordination between cultural needs and spiritual needs of the people in community by means of public activities. The way of the traditional Chuantian Festival’s inheritance is mainly completed through oral passing from generation to generation and the custom activities of Xiangyang people. In media age, the carrier of Chuantian Festival becomes increasingly rich and diverse. The activities of Chuantian Festival distinctly present fusion, mainly as follows:fusion of festive folk performances, fusion of festivals’cultural connotation, fusion of participants, fusion of cultural folk activities and commercial activities. The folk value of Chuantian Festival lies in its great function in contemporary social life, and Chuantian Stone is the token of women’s pursuit of happiness; the myths and legends reflected in Chuantian Festival show romantic and mysterious customs of the North Chu culture; Wanshan, which is the source of Chuantian Festiva, congests numerous folk culture; the traditional procedure of Chuantian Festival implies harmonious environmental philosophy between man and the world. Chuantian Festival periodically celebrated reminds people of Xiangyang tradition, and the Festival itself has become an important means of storage and inheritance of Xiangyang traditional culture, providing an important entry point for the inheritance and innovation of cultural Xiangyang. In modern society, the Festival in modern times provides a good opportunity for people to get spiritually enhanced, examine gains and losses, communicate with each other, and complain about the unsatisfactory. The Festival endowed with the characteristics of the times shows as large groups of outdoor folk activities, social enlightening and entertaining features. The energy of Chuantian Festival showcases historic and cultural connotation of Xiangyang, inherits culture, helps construct Cultural Xiangyang, and moralizes citizens, which is of great significance to build harmonious society. Moreover, it plays a leading role in Xiangyang economic and social development, especially in tourism development. With the dual functions of market and tourism, Chuantian Festival from the folk will produce the focusing effect in the construction of modern city.