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My name is Liaoruting, I am from Guigang, Guangxi. I studied Korean language at Yanbian University for my undergraduate degree. Currently, I am a graduate student specializing in Korean translation at Hunan Normal University. I have a solid grasp of language theories and translation practices, and I am willing to contribute professional strength to the cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Final Exam Paper

Zhuang People's San Yue San (Third Day of the Third Lunar Month)

Introduction

The Shangsi Festival is one of China's ancient festivals. Commonly known as "San Yue San" (Third Day of the Third Lunar Month), it was historically called the Shangsi Festival and also known as the Spring Bathing Day. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the Shangsi Festival was changed to the third day of the third lunar month; later generations followed this custom, and it became a festival for feasting by the water and spring outings in the suburbs. After the Song Dynasty, the festival gradually vanished, but in regions like Guangxi, the tradition of celebrating "San Yue San" is still preserved today. Nowadays, "San Yue San" is a traditional festival of the Zhuang people and is listed in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In Guangxi, the Zhuang people affectionately call it the "Song Festival" or "Song Fair Festival" (Gexu Festival). On this day, the Zhuang people worship their ancestors, sing and dance, and look for their destined partners. "San Yue San" is not only a grand banquet in spring but also a brilliant blooming of Zhuang culture.

The Origin of the Festival: Animism and the Praise of Life

The embryonic form of the Zhuang people's San Yue San can be traced back to the Han people's Shangsi Festival, anciently called "Spring Bathing Day" or "Fuxi Festival" (Purification Festival). It was first recorded in the Rites of Zhou and was an ancient festival in the Central Plains for sacrificial purification and riverside banquets. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, it was gradually fixed on the third day of the third lunar month, featuring customs like "Qu Shui Liu Shang" (floating wine cups along a winding stream) and "Ta Qing You Chun" (spring outings). After the Song Dynasty, the Shangsi Festival in the Central Plains gradually declined, though customs of dispelling disasters and warding off evil on the third day of the third month remained in various parts of China during the Republic of China era. Thereafter, the three festivals of "Cold Food," "Qingming," and "Shangsi" showed a tendency to merge, eventually resulting in "Shangsi" and "Cold Food" being incorporated into "Qingming." Today, the Shangsi Festival is little known in most parts of China, but for some ethnic minorities in Southwest China, it remains a solemn and grand festival. This festival custom spread to the Lingnan region with the migration of ethnic groups and merged deeply with the indigenous culture of the Zhuang people. The core cultural essence of the Zhuang San Yue San stems from the ethnic group's worship of Buluotuo (the creation ancestor) and Muluoja (the mother goddess). According to the Zhuang ancient text Buluotuo Scriptures, the third day of the third month is the birthday of Buluotuo. On this day, the Zhuang ancestors would worship the first ancestor, praying for favorable weather and the proliferation of the tribe. This belief transformed San Yue San from a simple seasonal folk custom into a cultural festival carrying the historical memory of the ethnic group. It can be said that the devout beliefs of the ancestors constructed a rich and profound cultural connotation and spiritual background for the formation and inheritance of San Yue San.

The Core of the Festival: Conveying Feelings through Song

The Song Fair Festival (Gexu Festival): "Ge" refers to folk songs (mountain songs), and "Xu" refers to a market. People singing folk songs in antiphonal style at the market is the soul that makes this festival vivid and alive. Regarding the origin of the Song Fair, there are many interesting legends among the folk, among which the story of Liu Sanjie is widely circulated. Liu Sanjie, revered as the "Song God" or "Song Fairy," often used folk songs to praise labor and love while profoundly exposing the crimes of the rich landlords. On the third day of the third lunar month one year, while Liu Sanjie was cutting firewood on the mountain, a landlord sent men to cut the mountain vines, causing her to fall from the cliff to her death. To commemorate this Song Fairy, later generations gathered to sing on this day, and thus the Song Fair was formed. In local chronicles of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (such as the Guangxi General Chronicle), it is recorded that in the Zhuang areas of Guangxi, "On the third day of the third month, men and women gather to sing for pleasure." By this time, San Yue San had become a "Song Fair Festival" for conveying emotions and narrating events through song. After the Republic of China era, this custom continued to be passed down in Zhuang-inhabited areas. In 1984, Guangxi officially designated San Yue San as a traditional festival for the Zhuang people, and in 2014, its folk activities were included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the past, young Zhuang men and women often used the Song Fair on San Yue San as a social occasion to meet the opposite sex. Impromptu folk songs served as the bond and bridge for them to meet, inquire, praise, and pledge their love. In addition, the content of the antiphonal songs was not limited to love songs but also covered current politics, life, and other aspects. The content was all-encompassing: historical legends, life wisdom, and production knowledge; these contents tested the knowledge reserves and reaction capabilities of the singers. Nowadays, Song Fairs in areas like Wuming and Jingxi in Guangxi still retain the folk tradition of singing across mountains.

The Colors of the Festival: Delicacies on the Tongue, Brocade at the Fingertips

San Yue San features rhythmic and lively songs, as well as its own unique and distinct material cultural symbols. 1.Five-colored Glutinous Rice: This is the traditional festive food of San Yue San. People use plants like maple leaves, red-blue grass, and yellow ginger to dye glutinous rice into five colors: black, yellow, red, purple, and white. Glutinous rice soaked in plant juices and steamed in this way is not only brightly colored and fragrant but also highly appetizing. The Zhuang people believe that five-colored glutinous rice symbolizes happiness, beauty, harmony, auspiciousness, and good luck, embodying people's simple pursuit of a happy life and abundant harvests. In addition, people use five-colored glutinous rice to entertain distinguished guests or as one of the offerings for ancestor worship. 2.Painted Eggs: People dye boiled chicken or duck eggs into bright red or purple. Children play a game called "Egg Knocking" (Peng Caidan); the winner is the one whose eggshell remains unbroken after the collision. People regard this as a beautiful symbol of peace and good luck. 3.Embroidered Balls (Xiuqiu): Beautiful Zhuang brocade is woven into exquisite embroidered balls; soft embroidered balls create destined matches. The embroidered ball is a token of love and a mascot for the Zhuang people. During San Yue San, girls throw their carefully made embroidered balls. If their beloved catches it steadily, a beautiful relationship begins. Amidst historical changes, the past activity of throwing embroidered balls for betrothal has evolved into an interesting sports activity within Guangxi today.

The Activities of the Festival: Rich Activities, Dynamic Inheritance

During the San Yue San festival, besides antiphonal singing and throwing embroidered balls, there are other lively and interesting folk activities. 1.Snatching Firecrackers (Qiang Huapao): This is one of the important traditional festival activities of the Zhuang people. In the activity, people place a firecracker ring (Huapao) containing colorful confetti and small gifts. When the cannon sounds, people compete to snatch it. The person who snatches it receives rewards and blessings from the crowd. 2.Beating the Shoulder Pole / Bamboo Pole Dance: This is a traditional dance of the Zhuang people. The crowd holds shoulder poles and strikes them against each other, or opens and closes bamboo poles. Dancers jump and weave through the rhythm. The scene is extremely lively, and the atmosphere is cheerful and enthusiastic. 3.Displaying Zhuang Costumes: Zhuang women wear their most gorgeous and exquisite traditional Zhuang costumes on this day, wearing shining silver ornaments on their heads, proudly displaying exquisite Zhuang brocade and excellent craftsmanship.

The Evolution of the Festival: From a Single Ethnic Celebration to a Regional Shared Gala

With the passage of time, the "San Yue San" festival has undergone many changes that conform to the trends of the times. 1.Statutory Holiday: Since 2014, Guangxi has designated "Zhuang San Yue San" as a public holiday for the entire region, usually arranging a two-day compensatory leave, allowing people to devote themselves wholeheartedly to this grand festival. 2.Diversification of Content: Festival activities have expanded from traditional rural Song Fairs to city squares, scenic spots, and campuses. The content of activities has also been greatly enriched, forming a comprehensive cultural gathering integrating ethnic song and dance performances, intangible cultural heritage displays, sports competitions, food markets, and tourism promotion. 3.Sharing and Fusion: Today's "San Yue San" is not a festival exclusive to the Zhuang people, but a festive occasion celebrated jointly by the Han, Yao, Miao, Dong, and other ethnic groups in Guangxi.

=Conclusion

In short, the Zhuang "San Yue San" is a festival rich in connotation and full of vitality. It is like a folk song that can never be finished; within the ancient main melody, new notes of the era are constantly integrated, radiating vigorous vitality year after year on the land of Guangxi.

References

[1]黄秋红.基于教育视角的壮族歌圩文化家庭传承研究[D].云南师范大学,2021.DOI:10.27459/d.cnki.gynfc.2021.000241.

[2]闫雪梅. 广西少数民族地区植物染研学旅行课程设计与开发[J].歌海,2021,(03):80-84.

[3]李雨濛.布依族“三月三”音乐文化传承研究[D].贵州师范大学,2020.DOI:10.27048/d.cnki.ggzsu.2020.000504.

[4]张萍,王溯,杨海晨. 少数民族民间体育节事的发展——以广西马山县壮族会鼓文化节为例[J].社会科学家,2018,(11):156-160.

[5]王曼.中国传统节日与祖先崇拜论析[D].中南民族大学,2018.

[6]阮茉莉. 广西民族传统节日文化传承与发展研究——以“壮族三月三”为例[J].广西教育,2017,(11):44-45.

[7]吴建飞. 龙胜“三月三”民俗文化的考察研究[J].视听,2015,(12):36-37.

Terminology

1.Fuxi (Purification Rituals)

2.Sacrifice / Worship

3.Glutinous Rice

4.Embroidered Ball (Xiuqiu)

5.Firecracker (Huapao)

Questions

1.Why has Guangxi's "San Yue San" become a National Intangible Cultural Heritage?

2.Why do people make Five-colored Glutinous Rice during the "San Yue San" festival?

3.What does "Song Fair" (Ge Xu) mean?

4.What interesting activities are there during "San Yue San"?

5.What are the differences between the current "San Yue San" and the past?

Answers

1.Because the "San Yue San" festival includes unique Zhuang traditions such as antiphonal singing, making five-colored glutinous rice, and throwing embroidered balls. These customs have been passed down for hundreds of years, reflecting the life wisdom and ethnic cultural characteristics of the Zhuang people. In order to protect these precious traditional cultures, the state listed them in the Intangible Cultural Heritage directory.

2.Five-colored glutinous rice is not only beautiful and delicious but also holds beautiful meanings. The five colors symbolize happiness, beauty, harmony, auspiciousness, and good luck respectively. By making and sharing five-colored glutinous rice, the Zhuang people express their expectations for a harvest and their yearning for a better life. At the same time, it is also an important food for worshipping ancestors and entertaining guests.

3."Song Fair" (Ge Xu) means "Market for Singing." "Xu" means market in the local dialect. On the day of "San Yue San," people gather together to sing folk songs in antiphonal style, so it is called a "Song Fair."

4.Besides antiphonal singing, there are: ① Egg Knocking: Children knock dyed eggs against each other to see whose egg doesn't break. ② Snatching Firecrackers: Like a sports competition, everyone competes for the firecracker ring; the person who snatches it gets good luck. ③ Bamboo Pole Dance: Dancing within the rhythm of opening and closing bamboo poles, which tests reaction ability. ④ Wearing Ethnic Clothing: Many people put on beautiful traditional Zhuang costumes.

5.① Time off: Since 2014, the whole region of Guangxi has had a holiday during "San Yue San," allowing more people to participate in the celebration. ② More locations: Expanded from original mountain villages and fields to city squares, schools, and scenic spots. ③ More participants: It is not only celebrated by Zhuang people; friends from other ethnic groups also participate, turning it into a festival shared by everyone.

期末论文

壮族三月三

引言

  上巳节，为中华古老节日之一。俗称三月三，古称上巳节，又叫三月三、春浴日。魏晋以后，上巳节改为三月三，后代沿袭，遂成水边饮宴、郊外游春的节日。到了宋代以后，该节日逐渐销声匿迹，但在我国广西等地区，至今仍然保留着过“三月三”的传统。现如今“三月三”是壮族人民的传统节日，更是国家级非物质文化遗产名录之一。在广西，壮族人民亲切地称呼其为“歌节”或者是“歌圩节”。每到这一天，壮族人民都会祭祀祖先，载歌载舞，并寻找属于自己的命定伴侣。“三月三”不仅是春日里的一场盛大宴会，更是壮乡文化之花的灿烂绽放。

节日的起源: 万物有灵，礼赞生命

  壮族三月三的雏形可追溯至汉族的上巳节，古称“春浴日”“祓禊节”，最早载于《周礼》，是中原地区祭祀祓禊、水边宴饮的古老节日，魏晋后逐渐固定在三月初三，有“曲水流觞”“踏青游春”等习俗。宋代后中原上巳节逐渐式微，而到民国时期，中国各地还留有三月三消灾除凶的风俗。此后，“寒食”“清明”“上巳”三节呈现合并趋向，最终“上巳”“寒食”两节并入“清明”。如今，在中国大部分地区上巳节已经鲜为人知，但对于中国西南地区的一些少数民族的人们来说上巳节仍是一个隆重而盛大的节日。
  这一节日习俗随民族迁徙传入岭南，与壮族本土文化深度融合。壮族三月三的核心文化内核，源于本民族对布洛陀（创世始祖）和姆洛甲（母神）的崇拜。据壮族古籍《布洛陀经诗》记载，三月三是布洛陀诞辰之日，壮族先民会在这一天祭祀始祖，祈求风调雨顺、族群繁衍，这一信仰使三月三从单纯的节气民俗，演变为承载民族历史记忆的文化节日。可以说先民们的忠诚信仰为三月三的形成与传承构筑了丰富深厚的文化内涵与精神底色。

节日的核心: 以歌为媒，传送心意

  歌圩节，其中歌指的是山歌，而圩指的是集市。人们在集市上山歌对唱，便是让这节日生动鲜活起来的灵魂。
  关于歌圩的来历,在民间有许多有趣的传说，而其中关于刘三姐的故事流传甚广。被奉为“歌神”或“歌仙”的刘三姐经常用山歌颂劳动和爱情，同时也深刻揭露财主们的罪恶。有一年的农历三月初三，刘三姐在山上砍柴时，财主派人砍断了山藤,造成她坠崖身亡。后人为了纪念这位歌仙,便在这天聚会唱歌，歌圩就此形成。
  而在明清时期的地方志（如《广西通志》）中记载，广西壮族地区“三月初三，男女聚会，歌唱为乐”，此时三月三已成为以歌传情、以歌叙事的“歌圩节”。民国后，这一习俗在壮族聚居区持续传承，1984年广西正式将三月三定为壮族传统节日，2014年其民俗活动列入国家级非物质文化遗产名录。
  在过去，壮族的青年男女们常常将三月三那一天的歌圩作为认识异性的社交场合，即兴编唱的山歌是他们相识、探问、赞美、定情的纽带和桥梁。此外，对唱的山歌内容不仅仅局限于情歌，还有关于时政、生活等各方面的。其内容包罗万象：历史传说，生活智慧、生产知识，这些内容无一不考验着对唱者的知识储备和反应能力。现如今，广西武鸣、靖西等一带的歌圩，仍旧保留着隔山对唱的民俗传统。
  

节日的色彩：舌尖美味，指尖锦绣

   三月三有节奏灵动的歌曲，也有属于自己的独特鲜明的物质文化符号。
   1.五色糯米饭：这是三月三的传统节庆食物，人们会用枫叶、红蓝草、黄姜等植物将糯米饭染成黑、黄、红、紫、白五种颜色，这样用植物汁液浸泡和蒸熟的糯米饭不仅色泽艳丽，清香扑鼻，还会让人食指大动。‘壮族人民认为五色糯米饭象征着幸福、美好、和谐、吉祥、如意，包含着人们对于幸福生活和五谷丰登的朴实追求。此外，人们还会用五色糯米饭用来招待尊贵的客人、或者用其作为祭扫先祖的供品之一。
   2.彩蛋：人们会将煮熟的鸡鸭蛋染成鲜亮的红色或是紫色，小孩子们会玩一种叫做“碰彩蛋”的游戏，相碰情况下蛋壳完整不破者为胜者，人们将其视作平安好运的美好象征。
   3.绣球：秀丽的壮锦编织成精致的绣球，柔软的绣球成就一段段天定良缘。绣球是壮族的定情信物和吉祥物。在三月三期间，女孩子们会抛出自己精心制作的绣球，若意中人稳稳接住，一段美好的缘分将就此开启。而在历史的不断变迁中，以往的抛绣球定亲活动演变为了如今广西区内一项有趣的体育活动。

节日的活动：丰富活动，动态传承

   在三月三节日期间，除了山歌对唱，抛绣球，还有一些热闹有趣的民俗活动。
   1.抢花炮：这是壮族重要的传统节日活动之一。活动中，人们会放置装有五彩纸屑和小礼物的花炮，当炮声响起，人们会争相抢夺，抢到的人能获得奖励和众人的祝福。
   2.打扁担/竹竿舞：这是壮族的传统舞蹈。众人手持扁担互相敲击，或者分合竹竿，伴随着节奏跳跃穿梭，长眠热闹非凡，气氛欢快热烈。
   3.展示壮族服饰：壮族的女性们会在这一天穿上最为华丽精美的壮族传统服饰，头戴闪亮的银饰，骄傲地展示着精致的壮锦和优秀的制作工艺。

节日的演变：从单一民族节庆到区域共享盛典

  随着时间的变化，“三月三”节日发生了诸多顺应时代潮流的转变。
  1. 法定假日：2014年起，广西将“壮族三月三”设为全区公众假日，并通常安排为期两天的调休，人们因此能全身心地投入到这场盛大的节日中。
  2. 内容多元化：节日活动从传统的乡村歌圩，大规模扩展到城市广场、景区、校园。活动内容也极大丰富，形成了集民族歌舞汇演、非遗展示、体育竞赛、美食集市、旅游推广于一体的综合性文化盛会。
  3. 共享与融合：如今的“三月三”不是独属于壮族的节日，更是广西汉、瑶、苗、侗等各个民族共同庆祝的佳节。

结语

   总之，壮族“三月三”是一个内涵丰富、充满活力的节日。它就像一首永远唱不完的山歌，古老的主旋律中，不断融入新时代的音符，在八桂大地上，年年岁岁，焕发着蓬勃的生命力。

参考文献

[1]黄秋红.基于教育视角的壮族歌圩文化家庭传承研究[D].云南师范大学,2021.DOI:10.27459/d.cnki.gynfc.2021.000241.

[2]闫雪梅. 广西少数民族地区植物染研学旅行课程设计与开发[J].歌海,2021,(03):80-84.

[3]李雨濛.布依族“三月三”音乐文化传承研究[D].贵州师范大学,2020.DOI:10.27048/d.cnki.ggzsu.2020.000504.

[4]张萍,王溯,杨海晨. 少数民族民间体育节事的发展——以广西马山县壮族会鼓文化节为例[J].社会科学家,2018,(11):156-160.

[5]王曼.中国传统节日与祖先崇拜论析[D].中南民族大学,2018.

[6]阮茉莉. 广西民族传统节日文化传承与发展研究——以“壮族三月三”为例[J].广西教育,2017,(11):44-45.

[7]吴建飞. 龙胜“三月三”民俗文化的考察研究[J].视听,2015,(12):36-37.

术语

1.祓禊

2.祭祀

3.糯米饭

4.绣球

5.花炮

问题

1.为什么广西的“三月三”能成为国家级非物质文化遗产？

2.在“三月三”节日里，人们为什么要做五色糯米饭？

3.“歌圩”是什么意思？

4.“三月三”有哪些有趣的活动？

5.现在的“三月三”和过去的有什么不同？

答案

1.因为“三月三”节日包含了壮族独特的山歌对唱、五色糯米饭制作、抛绣球等传统习俗，这些习俗传承了几百年，体现了壮族人民的生活智慧和民族文化特色。国家为了保护这些宝贵的传统文化，所以将其列入非物质文化遗产名录。

2.五色糯米饭不仅好看好吃，还有美好寓意。五种颜色分别象征着幸福、美好、和谐、吉祥和如意。壮族人民通过制作和分享五色糯米饭，表达对丰收的期盼和对美好生活的向往。同时，它也是祭祀祖先和招待客人的重要食物。

3.“歌圩”就是“唱歌的集市”。“圩”在当地方言里就是集市的意思。在“三月三”这天，人们聚在一起对唱山歌，所以叫“歌圩”。

4.除了对唱山歌外，还有： ① 碰彩蛋：小朋友把染色的鸡蛋互相碰撞，看谁的鸡蛋不破 ②抢花炮：像体育比赛一样，大家争夺花炮，抢到的人有好运 ③跳竹竿舞：在竹竿分合的节奏中跳舞，很考验反应能力 ④穿民族服装：很多人会穿上漂亮的壮族传统服装

5.①放假了：2014年开始，广西全区在“三月三”期间放假，让更多人能参与庆祝。 ②地点多了：从原来的山村田野，扩展到了城市广场、学校、景区。 ③参与人多了：不仅是壮族人民庆祝，其他民族的朋友也一起参加，变成了大家共同的节日。