Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) February 17th – Shangdong Village, Damaishan Town, Liannan Yao Autonomous County, Qingyuan City, was filled with joy and excitement. The traditional Yao folk custom activity, "Suoyang," themed "Strengthening the Sense of Community of the Chinese Nation," was held here. More than 8,000 people from the village and surrounding areas gathered to celebrate the Spring Festival, appreciate intangible cultural heritage, and enjoy the rich festive atmosphere.
"Suoyang," a transliteration of a Yao word, means "travel" and "success." It is a highly representative traditional folk custom of the Pai Yao culture in Shangdong Village, which has been passed down for over 300 years. In September 2023, this folk custom was officially included in the ninth batch of county-level intangible cultural heritage representative projects of Liannan Yao Autonomous County.
Every Spring Festival, migrant workers return to their hometowns to reunite with their families. Dressed in exquisite traditional Yao costumes, they participate in solemn rituals such as ancestral worship, drum parades, and gong competitions to commemorate their ancestors and pray for a prosperous new year. This folk custom has become an important cultural bond connecting those working away from home with their hometown.
At the event, villagers, dressed in vibrant Yao attire, gathered in the fields for orderly traditional ceremonies including ancestor worship, processions, and drum competitions. Their warm and simple celebration of the New Year fully demonstrated the positive, united, and enterprising spirit of the Yao people.
Ms. Yan, who traveled from Guangzhou to Liannan specifically to experience the Yao New Year's atmosphere, was deeply impressed by the grand folk scenes. She said, "The scene was so impressive! This unique traditional New Year's atmosphere is something you can't experience in the city."
It is understood that, to revitalize this ancient folk custom with a history of over 300 years, the town-based assistance team for the village and the Guangzhou Municipal Veterans Affairs Bureau, the supporting unit, took proactive measures. Previously, the supporting unit donated three sets of large bronze gongs, cowhide drums, and other props for the "Suoyang" activity, all handcrafted according to the original techniques of the intangible cultural heritage inheritors, to the village. They also provided financial support, laying a solid foundation for the smooth holding of this year's "Suoyang" activity and helping to ensure the continuation of the Yao ethnic group's intangible cultural heritage. (End)
