Changxin Festival of Pumi Ethnic Minority

Introduction of the Festival

• Chinese Name:普米族尝新节
• English Name: Changxin Festival of Pumi Ethnic Minority

Every harvest season, the people hold a ceremony where each household opens a new jar of wine, using new rice (or making buckwheat cakes) as well as newly harvested fruits to make offerings to the gods and ancestors. Then they begin to slaughter pigs and sheep, invite relatives and friends, share the new grain, and celebrate the harvest. During the tasting of new food festival (Changxin Festival), and at the New Year, the Pumi people likewise feed rice balls to their dogs.

The Pumi people’s tasting of new food festival does not have a fixed date; it depends on the local crop harvest situation, mostly centered around villages. Each village may have different dates, but they typically differ by no more than 5 to 10 days. The tasting of new food festival is generally celebrated twice; sometimes just once, occurring within a few days after the harvest of the minor spring crop and the major spring crop. During the festival, people visit relatives and hold cultural and recreational activities, singing and narrating the history and traditional customs of their ethnic group, praying for an abundant harvest.

The Pumi people’s tasting of new food festival is generally celebrated within four or five days, selecting a lucky day in the lunar calendar, usually in mid-July. Before the arrival of the tasting of new food festival, each household must brew a jar of white wine and prepare a jar of rice using the newly harvested grains. On the day of the festival, they first burn three sticks of incense at the village altar, with a designated elder or the head of the family acting as the main officiant. After reciting the prayer, each household offers their newly brewed rice wine and freshly cooked rice (or buckwheat cakes) to the spirits. After the offerings, the first bowl of freshly cooked rice should be given to the dog, and the first bowl of newly brewed rice wine should be offered to the elders. Then, the entire family sits together to drink the newly brewed rice wine and eat the freshly cooked rice to celebrate the harvest.

During the harvest season,the Pumi Ethnic Minority(普米族) will hold the Changxin Festival(尝新节), and every family will open a new jar of wine with the new rice(or make the buckwheat baba) and fresh fruits to sacrifice to“zongbala”(宗巴拉) god and ancestors.They began to slaughter pigs and sheep,invite friends and relatives to share new grain and celebrate the harvest with them. The Pumi Ethnic Minority also feed rice balls to the dogs on the day of Changxin Festival same as the Spring Festival.There is no fixed date for the Changxin Festival of Pumi Ethnic Minority,it depends on the local harvest of crops,Most villages are different from each other,but the difference is about 5-10days at most.The Changxin Festival is generally held twice or once,in the days after the harvest. During the festival,people used to visit some of their relatives,and held recreational activities,telling and singing the history,traditional custom of their nation,and pray for the good harvest in the coming year.

The Changxin Festival of Pumi Ethnic Minority is usually no more than four or five days apart,and it always celebrated on an auspicious day in the July 15th of the lunar calendar.Before the festival,every family would brew a jar of white wine and a Sulima wine(苏里玛酒), brewed form the fresh grain .When it come to the festival, they would burn three sticks of incense on the altar of “mani heap”(嘛尼堆) in the village.In the words of the chief mourner of Hanggui or an elder.After the prayers,families offered “Zangbala”(藏巴拉) freshly brewed rice wine and freshly cooked rice or stuffed bun one by one.After completed the sacrifice,the first bowl of fresh rice was for the dogs,and the first bowl of freshly brewed rice wine was for the elderly.Then, the whole family gathered together to drink the young wine and eat the new rice to celebrate the harvest.

Local activities

1. Harvest Preparations

• Prior to the festival, families prepare by harvesting crops. The festival typically coincides with the harvest of the minor spring and major spring crops, and the completion of these harvests lays the foundation for the celebrations.

2. Brewing Traditional Wine

• One of the central activities involves brewing a special type of rice wine using the newly harvested grains. This wine plays a significant role in the festival’s rituals and celebrations.

3. Cooking Traditional Dishes

• Families prepare traditional foods, including freshly cooked rice and possibly buckwheat cakes (known as “ba” in Pumi language). The preparation of these dishes often involves using ingredients harvested from their fields.

4. Ritual Offerings

• On the day of the festival, families set up an altar in their homes or in the village where they present offerings to ancestors and local deities. This typically includes the newly brewed wine and rice, symbolizing gratitude and respect for the blessings received during the harvest.

5. Ceremonial Prayers

• An elder, typically an experienced community member, leads the prayer rituals at the altar. This involves reciting prayers for a bountiful harvest and blessings for the community.

6. Feeding Dogs and Elders

• A meaningful gesture in the festivities includes giving the first bowl of freshly cooked rice to the family dog as a sign of respect. Similarly, the first bowl of rice wine is offered to the elders, acknowledging their wisdom and role within the community.

7. Community Gathering

• Families come together to celebrate, with gatherings often involving storytelling, singing, and dancing that highlight Pumi culture. This is a time for social bonding and celebrating community spirit.

8. Cultural Performances

• During the festival, local music and dance performances showcase Pumi traditions, including folk songs and dances that tell stories from their history and culture, reinforcing their identity and heritage.

9. Visiting Relatives and Neighbors

• The festival encourages people to visit relatives and neighbors, sharing food, drinks, and well-wishes. This practice strengthens community ties and enhances social relationships.

10. Games and Competitions

• Various traditional games and competitions may be organized, fostering a spirit of fun and camaraderie among community members, especially the younger generations.

11. Prayers for Future Harvests

• Alongside celebrations, many rituals involve prayers for future prosperity and good harvests. This reflects the agricultural basis of Pumi culture, emphasizing the importance of the earth and nature in their livelihoods.