Walk Around Three Spirits of Bai Minority

 

Bai Autonomous County of Dali, Yunnan Province

The Bai ethnic minority mostly lives in Bai Autonomous County, in the west of Yunnan Province. The festival of Raosanling (Walk Around Three Spirits), with a history of more than 1,000 years, prevails in the Bai villages scattered in areas around the Cangshan Mountain and Lake Erhai.

Sanling, literally three spirits, refers to the Buddhist capital, Chongsheng Temple, the

 

sacred capital,Shengyuan Temple, and the angel capital, Jinkui Temple. Walk Around Three Spirits originated from the Nanzhao Kingdom in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In the Bai language, it is called "Guansanlan" which means "visiting three capitals."

The Bai people mainly believe in "Benzhu" (village god). In each village and region, the Benzhu has a different meaning attached to it. Some are referred to as the God of Nature, others as national heroes, famous officers, and loyal women. A small group of them also believe in ghosts and Buddhism.

Each year, on the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month, the people don festival clothes, carry willow branches, rattle sticks in their hands, blow whistles from tree leaves, pluck three-stringed instruments and beat octagonal drums as they proceed to the three temples.

It is a three-day holiday and involves the people coming out and lining up in a long line that resembles a snake. They start off and walk from one temple to the next. At the Chongsheng Temple they pray for blessings from God and prosperity for the country and a peaceful environment. The second day they walk around Jinkui Temple and carry out a ritual ceremony in memory of Duan Zongbang, King of the Dali Kingdom. On day three, villagers walk around the Shengyun Temple and ask for a pleasant climate, a good harvest year and a peaceful and long life.

It is a festive time for the Bai people, and a party atmosphere prevails on the three days, with much singing and dancing.