The Ruiyun Siyueba Festival is one of the most important traditional customs of the She ethnic community in Ruiyun She village — located in Xiamen She Ethnic township, in Fuding city, in Fujian province.
Every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, She singers showcase their traditional singing culture through special ethnic activities such as "singing competitions" and the "fire prosperity" celebration.
Ruiyun She songs feature rich content and diverse forms — primarily including love songs, life songs, labor songs, political songs and miscellaneous folk songs.
The "fire prosperity" celebration is like a She ethnic carnival, where bonfires blaze in open fields and young men and women sing and dance, radiating joy and enthusiasm.
Through long-term cultural practice, the Ruiyun She people have infused new meaning into the Siyueba Festival. For instance, She farmers cherish and protect their plowing cattle — on this day, the cattle are exempt from fieldwork, whipping is forbidden and they are allowed to rest fully.
Farmers also prepare special "cattle wine" for the animals, earning the festival the names of the "Cattle Love Festival" or "Cattle Rest Day".
The Ruiyun Siyueba Festival is said to be a vital part of She ethnic culture. Passed down orally through generations, some folk songs have been preserved in handwritten manuscripts using Chinese characters to transcribe the She language.
The music of She songs is melodious and touching, holding significant literary and artistic value, while also serving as an important resource for studying the history of the local She community.
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