A Folklore Study Of Linxia’s "Jumping On The Fire" Eremony

"Jumping fire pile",also known as "Fire jumping",is a very representative folk ritual activity in Linxia,Gansu Province.The complete "fire jumping" ceremony includes two categories,one is the fire jumping ceremony of individual small families,and the other is the collective ceremony of villages.As a festival activity,the meaning of fire jumping is not only to relieve fatigue and adjust life.For local people,"jumping the fire pile" is not only a simple ritual activity,but also carries the life emotion of the general public.It also contains the good wishes of the local people to exorcise evil spirits,pray for good fortune,divine harvest and pray for peace.At the same time,villagers also take the "fire jumping" ceremony as a bond to strengthen interpersonal relations.In the process of "fire jumping",the collective identity between villages is further strengthened.Taking the "fire jumping" ceremony as a micro window,we can see the diversified life emotions of the people in Linxia area and the function and significance behind the ceremony.This paper takes "Fire jumping" as the capital research target,and on the basis of field research,combined with local literature,studies the folk custom of "fire jumping".In recent years,with the change of people’s ideology and the acceleration of social change,the ceremony of jumping fire heap has also adapted itself to the pace of people’s life.The fire jumping ceremony not only plays a positive role in building the spatial order of the village,but also strengthens the group identity among the people during the annual participation process.This paper is divided into five sections.The first part of the present largely talks and illustrates the source and meaning of the topic selection,the research target,the research review and the research manner.The second part chiefly introduces the time and space setting of the fire-jumping pile.It mainly starts with the geographical location of Linxia area,and specifically tells the geographical location,livelihood mode,belief culture and festival of the villagers in Zhangdoujia Village.It preliminically explains the reasons why fire-jumping pile can spread and develop in this place.The third part explains the origin and development of fire jumping,points out the legend of the three sources of fire jumping and the internal cultural mechanism behind it,as well as the development and cause of fire jumping.In the fourth part,on the basis of the field materials obtained from the work of observation and careful interview,the detailed preparation and performance process of the fire jumping ceremony are introduced.The fifth part intimately unpacks the role and significance of the fire jumping ceremony.It points out that fire jumping has three functions and meanings for local people,namely praying for harvest,dispelling evil spirits and avoiding disaster,praying for family peace and prosperity and entertaining the body and mind,and analyzes the cultural significance behind these functions.Finally,the conclusion part generalizes,introspects and prospects to the full text.