14 Aug 2009

Mizhi Festival is a traditional festival with tint of primitive religion, held from the first "Mouse day" to "Horse day" in December according to Yi's calendar. Mizhilin,  patches of virgin forest, usually retained and protected in a slope behind each Yi people's village, are the localities to hold the festival.

Local Yi people celebrating ethnic Mizhi Festival (photo by Wang Limei)

Mizhilin or Mizhi forest, plays a role in water resource conservation. In front of the village is usually a water pool, either natural karst lake or man modified pond. Other lands such as basin and gentle slope are farmed for agriculture. This typical "ecological village" represents a land use pattern that harmonizes the people and the nature, reflecting local people's philosophy of integrating forest, water resource, farmland, residence and religion.

Local Yi people celebrating ethnic Mizhi Festival (photo from the Internet)

Cooking meal during the Mizhi Festival (photo from the Internet)

Local Yi people worshiping their ancestors in the Mizhi forest (photo from the Internet)

During the festival time, worship activities are held to pray for lush forest, favorable climate, flourishing populations of both people and livestock, and good harvest. There is a "god team" consisting of Ancestor God, Land God, Forest God, etc. played by villagers and headed by a senior villager. In the festival they review their ancestor's life, hunting, wrestling, playing, and so on. Also, ethnic ethics, moral concepts and village rules are studied and pass down.