Research On Nuo Ritual Of The Miao Nationality In Xiangxi, Hunan Province

Nuo ceremony is the most important part of Chinese Nuo culture.the Western Hunan Nuo,as a branch of Chinese Nuo,includes a group of components such as Nuo songs,Nuo dances,Nuo masks and so on.In Wetern Hunan miao ethnic district,Nuo,which is not only a sign of the long and rich miao ethnic history but also the inheritance of the people's inner sustenance and belief,becomes one of the the most widespread activities of witchcraft for a long time.However,with the development of modern civilization and market economy,the environment for Nuo has been severely damaged in various ways to some degree.Luckily,through a series of study,the author has found that there are still two villages existing with the ceremony of Nuo and it has been playing a crucial role in the villagers' life and production as well.Indeed,more than ninety percent of the families have once invited Nuo wizards home for a ceremony,thus the wizard or the witch is always warmly welcomed in these two villages---Maodutang village,in Shanjiang township and Gaoguo village,in Lianglin town.The article takes the two villages for investigation objectively and detailedly,firstly,it is based on the description of their Nuo ceremony from three aspects---its main body,the holding time and room and the contents of the ceremony.The description includes the wizard,the invitor,and the assistants of the ceremony;the holding time and room of the ceremony;the purpose and procedures of the ceremony.Secondly,the article compares the similarities and differences of the Nuo culture in these two villages to abstract the features of "vowing Nuo Ceremony" and "redeeming a vow "respectively.Thirdly,the author concludes the shared main functions of the two Nuo ceremonies,such as praying,redeeming a vow,as well as the entertaining part with people which replaced ceremony of entertaining only a god before,proving that they both added some secular entertainment into the Nuo ceremony gradually.Last,the article has significantly called for the meaningfulness of protecting Nuo culture in Western Hunan.Its importance stands beyond the educational function to the native people,moreover,it's the living fossil of the Western Hunan miao ethinic history.In the situation where Nuo culture has been suffering for a chance to survive the ceaselessly changing environment,the protection and heritage of Nuo culture is becoming extremely significant.