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The Lisu Nationality |
With a population of about 570,000, the Lisu people mainly live in concentrated communities in Bijing, Fugong, Gongshan and Lushi counties of Nujing Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, in Yunnan province. The Lisu people have their own language which belongs to the Yi branch of the Tibeto Burman group of the Sino-Tibetan language family. A new written form was created in 1957. Making a living from farming, the friendly Lisu people are fond of dancing and singing.
The rolling Nujing River in Yunnan Province goes straight down the valleys of the two mountains, Bilouxueshan and Gongshan, as if the Milky Way were flowing down from the sky. In these dangerous valleys, live over 570,000 Lisu people whose ancestors determined to start life in this area in the middle of the 16th century.
Although the high mountains and rolling river have helped develop the Lisus'courage and tenacity, they have also held back their economic progress. Up to the 50s, the Lisu people had lived under feudalism controlled by landlords. Some customs connected with this outmoded communal system remain.
The Lisu people live in bamboo houses in concentrated communities. The houses are usually built on sloping ground at the foot of a hill. The most common is a two-room bungalow. The inner room is used as a bedroom; the outer has a stove at the centre. The houses are surrounded by fields of cereal crops which farm the major part of their diet.
The Lisu people used to wear clothes of hand-made cloth. All the girls have to learn spinning and weaving at eleven or twelve years old. The distinctive women's clothes used to be of three types according to colour- white, black and mixed. Now the women living in the valleys of Nujing River wear short jackets and long skirt which are trimmed with lace around the hem.Lisu men like to wear a knife on the left of waist and carry a bag on the right filled with bow and arrows. They wear short jackets and the trousers are shortened for kneeling easily.
As a popular saying goes in the area, on a mountain, you can find all four seasons at any one time. Because of the changeable weather and climate in these mountainous areas, the Lisu people have created a nature calendar that divides the year into ten seasonal months.
The new year is celebrated during the season when the cherry trees are in full blossom. On the festive day, in addition to other celebrations, the Lisu people go to bathe in the hot springs along the banks of the Nujing River. Some stay near the springs for a few days and bathe five or six times a day because they believe bathing there will drive away diseases and brings spiritual benefit.
The Lisu people hold their traditional Sword-blade-festival annually on the 8th of February,estimated according to lunar calendar. Originally the festival was held to commemorate a patriotic general fighting against invaders, but now it has developed into a folk sport gathering. When the day comes, people from different areas gather at a site where stand two tree trunks,each over twenty metres. Thirty-six long swords are placed between the two trunks horizontally, edge up. With the accompaniment of gongs, drums and firecrackers, the competitor jumps barefooted onto the first blade, holding fast to a higher sword. He then begins to climb up with the help of Qiqong to support his feet. Once at the top, he is required to climb back down, row by row. It is a fearsome sport! However, the winner of the competition is admired and respected by the Lisu people, who usually wins the love of a beatiful lady.
Like other nationalities living in mountainous areas, the Lisu people love music. Their deep,solid voices and short thrumming notes speak of the inner strength of the mountain. The fourstring "Pipa" has a wide musical arrange and is used to accompany Lisu dances. Portable mouth harps with a soft tone are the favorite of young Lisu people.
Influenced by the belief that everything in the universe has a spirit, Lisu wizards have played an important role in society . They cast spells on evil spirits and serve the local people as doctors.
The valleys of the Nujiang River, long ago given a home to the Lisu people , are changing with the development of mining,forestry, hydro-electricity, business and trade. The Lisu people are now aware of these benefits for themselves and for the country as a whole. |
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