NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM 73 



his home. A cow or a water buffalo, or more rarely a pig, is killed, 

 ending in a feast shared by relatives and friends. After the death of 

 a woman, her soul has fastened on its back a large straw mat. In the 

 case of a man, his soul has fastened on its back a large, round win- 

 nowing basket. These appendages are very inconvenient, for they 

 make it impossible for the souls to enter the palace and join the 

 spirits of their deceased ancestors. By this ceremony the obstacles are 

 removed, and the souls happily join their ancestors in the level land 

 of Ntzi. 



Still later there is a memorial ceremony called in Chinese ch'ao 

 chicn, and in Ch'uan Miao tsa mong. This is the time when the bones 

 are dug up and the coffin changed, the bones washed with wine, new 

 clothing provided, and then the bones and the coffin reburied. It is 

 assumed that the deceased ancestor has become very tired from lying 

 in the same position and that this ceremony brings him comfort and 

 relief. 



Another very elaborate ceremony called in Chinese hua t'an, and 

 in Ch'uan Miao a gi bang, is participated in by all who have the same 

 family name. It is performed in one of the homes once in three years 

 and lasts from one day and one night to three days and three nights. 

 A bull is killed and the skin used to cover a new or an old ceremonial 

 drum. Each family contributes its share of food, and the meat of the 

 bull is cooked, ending in at least one feast and sometimes several.^ 



The Ch'uan Miao have the same lunar calendar as the Chinese, 

 from whom they apparently adopted it. This includes lucky and un- 

 lucky days. Often a Ch'uan Miao simply buys a Chinese calendar 

 and uses it. The calendar festivals correspond to those of the Chinese, 

 except that the kitchen god, whom the Ch'uan Miao do not worship, 

 is not ceremonially sent up to heaven on the 23d day of the 12th moon 

 and welcomed back the night before New Year. 



The Chinese calendar festivals occur on the ist, 2d, 3d, and 15th 

 days of the ist moon, on the 3d day of the 3d moon, on the 5th day 

 of the 5th moon, soon after the harvest to welcome the new grain, 

 on the 15th day of the 7th moon, on the 15th day of the 8th moon, on 

 the 9th day of the 9th moon, on the ist day of the loth moon, and 

 on the 30th day of the 12th moon. 



In all the funeral, memorial, and calendar festivals, when there is 

 a feast, the deceased ancestors are expected to be present and to par- 

 take. Food and wine are offered to them. On the 15th day of the 7th 



6 This account is very much abbreviated. For a full account see my article, 

 "The Customs of the Ch'uan Miao" (1937b). 



