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Chinese Name: 仫佬族
English Name: The Mulao people
Languages: Mulao language 仫佬语, Chinese 汉语
Total population: 2.16*105 (China mainland 2022)
Distribution: Mainly distributed in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Brief introduction
The Mulao people 仫佬族 is one of the ethnic minorities in China. The national language is the Mulao language, which belongs to the Sino-Tibetan languages 汉藏语系. There is no written language of their own ethnic group, and Chinese characters are commonly used. The Mulao people are mainly distributed in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 广西壮族自治区 and a small amount in Guizhou Province 贵州省.
The history of the Mulao people
Like the ancestors of other ethnic groups, the ancient ancestors of the Mulao people created a splendid prehistoric culture. Through the research and identification of the unearthed cultural relics, it is found that the Mulao people already have pottery and can cook food better, which is beneficial to people’s health and longevity. The ancestors of the Mulao people formerly became a family member of the Chinese nation because of the Qin Dynasty 秦朝 unified Lingnan 岭南.
The religion of the Mulao people
Historically, in the Mulao area, folk beliefs occupied a very important position in people’s lives, and Taoism 道教 and Buddhism 佛教 also had a deep influence. In the 1920s, the Mulao area made great efforts to build a lot of large-scale Buddhist temples. These temples are surrounded by cigarettes for many years, and there is an endless stream of people who come to pray for blessings and eliminate disasters. There is also a regular meeting every year, and people from nearby villages come to participate in sacrifices.
The Cultures of the Mulao people
Mulao clothing 仫佬族服饰
The clothes of the Mulao people are generally dark blue. In the Qing Dynasty 清朝, women still had the habit of wearing barrel skirts. Landlords and gentry wore wind-collared clothes, which were not allowed by ordinary peasants.
It has been refitted in modern times, and it is not much different from the clothes of the local Han 汉族 and Zhuang people 壮族. Men wear shirts and trousers. In the past, girls wore braids and tied them into buns after they got married, but now they have mostly cut their hair. Accessories include silver earrings, bracelets, rings, etc.
Mulao architecture 仫佬族建筑
The Mulao people live in clusters, and people from the same clan often live in the same village. The houses are generally bungalows with mud walls and tile roofs and three side by side. Most of the building forms of houses are in the same format, and a house has seven doors. Among them, the furnace on the left side of the door will be dug for burning coal, which is a unique living equipment for heating and burning fire in Mulao people for a long history.
Mulao folk songs 仫佬族民歌
The Mulao people have a rich variety of literature and art. Its literature and art are mainly reflected in folk songs. Folk songs play an important role in the lives of the Mulao people. In the past, almost every family had a songbook, and every village had old singers. They regarded it as their duty to teach young people to sing. Singing activities are mostly held during “Zoupou” and festive festivals.
“Zoupou” is a social activity for young men and women, a way of falling in love. According to traditional customs, when young men and women meet in the suburbs, whether they know each other or not, they can invite duets. It is considered impolite to refuse invitations from others.
Mulao Sports 仫佬族体育
During the Spring Festival 春节, the Mulao people have the custom of going from house to house to dance the grass and dragons to pay homage to the New Year. The grass dragon is made of straw and decorated with colored paper.
Cracking fireworks is a common entertainment activity of the Mulao people. The event uses cannons to shoot garlands into the sky. Participants compete for the garlands that fall from the sky, and the one with the most garlands wins.
‘Elephant Step Tiger Palm’ is a metaphor for a game image. In this game, the two sides of the contestants face each other with their palms facing each other, and when the referee issues an order, both sides can move and push the other’s soles out of the line to win. This activity can exercise a person’s arm strength, leg strength and endurance.
