Folk customs of Lizhuang ancient town

Li Zhuang's folk customs have always been simple, paying attention to farming and reading, being enthusiastic about public welfare undertakings, caring about the world and loving the country. "Nanxi County Records" records: "Zhang Yao has a rule of law, and his sons and nephews can study when they are smart, and they can go to work when they can study. Those who don't give up their careers, those who don't have hands to swim ... whoever collapses and the bridge collapses will pass. " Li Zhuangyuan and Nanxi have always been hospitable in folk customs, just like "all rivers run into the sea, and tolerance is great." During the Anti-Japanese War, Lizhuang once became the four major cultural centers in China, alongside Chongqing, Kunming and Chengdu, and became an academic center with international influence in China at that time. At that time, Li Zhuang's "Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples" moved into domestic first-class academic institutions such as the Institute of Historical Linguistics, the Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University College of Literature and Tongji University, and gathered a large number of first-class well-known scholars with international influence, such as Fu Sinian, Liang Sicheng and Tong Dizhou, to devote themselves to scientific research and cultivate talents here. At that time, Li Zhuang accepted these important institutions and famous scholars, which was the inheritance and development of this folk custom.

There is a couplet at the entrance of Mo Lifeng Villa, which refers to the folk customs of Li Zhuang, "two questions of clan style". Er Ming is Dong Ming and Xi Ming written by Zhang Zai in Song Dynasty. Zhang Zai has a famous saying: "Make a heart for heaven and earth, make a life for the people, link the past with the future, and be peaceful for all generations." In 2005, when Lien Chan, chairman of the Kuomintang, came to the mainland, he quoted Zhang Zai's words "creating peace for all generations". At that time, Li Zhuang accepted intellectuals not only to "learn from the past" but also to "develop academics", to establish a heart facing the world ... and to create peace for the world. In the new period, Li Zhuang inherited and developed the essence of Taoism in the Song Dynasty and gave it new meaning.

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, in May of 1946, dozens of experts, including Fu Sinian from the Institute of History and Linguistics, signed and engraved the Inscription of Farewell to Li Feng, which stood on the right side of the entrance of the villa archway. It says: "I have been here for five years ... fortunately, I was entrusted and didn't neglect my research." Although the country is called great kindness, it makes guests feel at home, live and work in peace and contentment, and makes them have a wide range of interests, and master Si Renli, who is in charge of military and political affairs, is also well-informed in the local area. Some people can't forget it. " He once again expressed his appreciation for Li Zhuang's warm hospitality and good folk customs. There are many rich contents in the folk culture of Lizhuang. For example, the "Xizi Lane", which represents the architectural custom of the ancient town in southern Sichuan, is a narrow lane on the bluestone pavement. Most of the houses are two-story Xiaoqing tile houses with wooden tenons, which are warm in winter and cool in summer, patchwork and harmonious. There are also two waist-high low doors outside each facade, which are called "waist doors" and have a unique charm. Folk customs also include burning grass dragons, boating, cow lanterns, old teahouses and so on.

There is a unique "garlic paste and white meat" in folk diet, which is slender and translucent; Because of its length, it was once called "foot-wrapped meat" and renamed because it was indecent. At that time, experts, teachers and students all liked to eat. Foreign teachers often come, because the language is not fluent, and often "pat the ass" to ask for this famous dish made of good pork leg. This is an anecdote in folk culture.

Lizhuang is a small town with a strong ancient flavor, and its folk activities are also very interesting. For example, dancing grass dragons, flying dragon lanterns, boating, performing "Niu Er Deng" and Sichuan Opera Pentecostal. , are popular cultural activities in the New Year Festival, especially "Dancing the Grass Dragon", which is particularly enthusiastic and has become the most original folk activity in Lizhuang.

Dragon Dance is very popular in China, with a long history and colorful features. The dragon team is generally composed of masculine men, running back and forth and dancing the dragon body. However, in Lizhuang ancient town, the most active team is a female dragon dance team. On holidays or festive activities, this dragon dance team composed of big girls and little wives will show their talents. They danced with the grass dragon made of golden straw and saw a "golden dragon" rolling up and down in the air, jumping left and right, and gongs and drums clanging. Women's free and easy skills are not only inferior to their looks, but also full of feminine charm in their fortitude. Their dragon dance performance often dazzles the audience and can't help cheering and clapping!

When did the grass dragon dance in Li Zhuang originate? According to legend, this is a custom handed down from the Tang Dynasty. At first, the "golden" dragon was made of gold cloth to show awe of the emperor. Later, due to the severe drought, people danced dragons for rain to save the seedlings in the fields, and then burned "dragons" after the dance. It would be a pity to burn the elaborately made cloth dragons of various colors, so the villagers changed their practice and tied the grass dragons with straw to burn them, so as to remind the Jinghe Dragon King in charge of rainfall not to forget his duty and hurry to rain to help the people. Over time, the custom of dancing grass dragons has formed in Lizhuang area, which has been passed down from generation to generation. Today's grass dragon dance has long been endowed with new ideas and has become the best form to express the festive atmosphere of Lizhuang people. Don't underestimate these humble grass dragons, they dance out the temperament and reputation of Zhuangli people.