The Application Of Hengshan Lao Yaogu In Folk Rituals In Northern Shaanxi

As a significant component of traditional Northern-Shaaxi art,Lao Yaogu has a long history and dates back to ancient times and is an essential form in folk ritual customs.Originating from Zhangcunyoudi Village,Heimutouchuan Nata Town,Hengshan County and therefore taking its name from the birthplace,Zhangcunyoudi Lao Yaogu is the most representative of this powerful and large-scaled dance performance.On one hand,with the popularization of traditional Northern Art in China,more and more people begin to acknowledge and appreciate Yaogu,especially Ansai Yaogu as a form of performing arts.On the other hand,for its isolating geographic reasons and scarce economical situation,Hengshan Zhangcunyoudi Lao Yaogu is far less noticed by the scholars of the field,let alone the general public.However,precisely because of the mentioned disadvantages,Hengshan Zhangcunyoudi Lao Yaogu remains its most original form and plays an important role in Zhangcunyoudi Villagers’ ritual life even to these days.Moreover,under the shock of rapid economic growth and urbanization,the question of protection and inheritance of this primitive art deserves more attention.Zhangcunyoudi Lao Yaogu exists and evolves mainly from the ritual practices and folk life inside the village,which to the local residents is an indispensable spiritual and cultural sustenance.Since the Daoguang Reign of Qing Dynasty,Zhangcunyoudi Village has been practicing an annual ritual event in etiquette and custom: Ye Miao(sacrificing to the temple and worshiping the deities),Yan Men Zi(greetings every household during Lunar New Year),and Xuan Guan Shi(selecting administrative staff),all requiring a ceremonious performance of Lao Yaogu,to further understand the artistic and social significance of Lao Yaogu in Zhangcunyoudi Village,not only does the author discuss the visors matters and the meaning of communication in the interaction between Lao Yaogu and the etiquette and life through the observation of the sociological interaction angle and the method of symbolic interaction and anthropology in the process of analyzing its application,but also she aims to explore the current status of Lao Yaogu,and through its status quo analyses the mapping of social changes and the developments etiquette and life and beyond.