..... Traditions that keep fit .....
Running Folk Tale Pageant
In the western part of the Fujian province, the village of Luofang is once a year the focus of the whole region.
'Running Folk Tale Pageant' is a
two-century old Hakka ceremony, unfolding in two days of intense competition.
The men of different families carry a special kind of sedan chair with children
dressed as mythical figures and race through the village.
Hundreds of people are directly involved. Thousands are watching.
No 2.205
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No 2.207
click pix for previewThe name of the village, Luofang, comes from its main clan: Luo. This is still the name of the overall majority.
Luo Zhiqiang and Luo Wenjie are the
two boys chosen this year to personify the two mythical figures up on the leading 'peng', the Chinese name for this kind of sedan.
They are dressed in the local Opera style (West Fukienese).
No 2.204
No 2.143
In China, officialdom has long been synonymous with wealth and power. In choosing a celestial official as the main figure, villagers sought to bring upon
them some of the luck that it symbolized.
The 8 year-old 'General' Zhiqiang (left) supports the Celestial Official. His role stands for the military capacity, under the control of the literary virtue. They both are two sides of qualities needed to generate civilization.
No 12.42
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No 2.150
click pix for previewBefore the race starts, all participants gather in front of the Ancestors Hall to honor their forefathers.
The ancestor cult is an essential element of most ceremonies on the countryside, often mixing elements from Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in a complex syncretism.
No 2.123
No 12.44
A procession precedes the seven 'pengs', with an orchestra of traditional Chinese instruments - like the 'suona' - and the 'Umbrella of All the People'.
The music is almost indistinguishable from the roaring of the firecrackers, whose noise is said to scare off evil spirits.
No 2.198
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No 2.183
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While all the pengs are arriving in front of the Ancestors Hall, a dragon dance is performed within the hall.
Joss sticks and candles are burnt everywhere in the village. They are ubiquitous signs that the event hasn't lost its religious dimension, especially for older generations.
No 2.182
No 2.144
Shaken back and forth, the costumes - and the children - have to show resilience for the time of the event.
The boys remain on the pengs for more than two hours. Regular controls are needed, implemented by a member of the team.
No 12.48
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No 2.17
click pix for previewFrom the ancestors hall the teams proceed to the village's main square, where they run a total of five races with breaks in-between.
The rules stipulate that the first 'peng' shall not be overtaken. It leads the others, fighting for the second position.
No 2.174
No 2.176
To avoid exhaustion, three groups relay each other to carry each peng. As a result, there are at least 58 men in each team.
16 men carry more than 200 kg with full speed. Dust starts to rise after a few laps, but it does not prevent the teams to push forward.
No 2.189
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No 12.51
click pix for previewClimax of the festival on its second day: running through the stream, where each step is a struggle. The race ends once the village border has been reached.
It is 2pm, the event started 30 hours ago.
Water for a good harvest, feng shui and the eight trigrams as elements determining the procedures of the pageant: Luofang is not just a visual feast for these two days, it is also a proof that very old traditions of the Chinese civilization live on.