Mystic, Mountains and Indigo
Having arrived from Nanning Airport Eight more hours, we arrived in the so-called "Mysterious". In the county, he bordered with Vietnam in the southern part of Guangxi-Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, 12 Zhuang clans live. One of them – Ming, better known as Hayei Zhuang ("Zhuangs in black outfit") – branch of the Zhuang ethnic group.
This ethnic group mainly lives in the area of Damishhan Mountain, where they are mainly engaged in agriculture. General population – 52,000 more people. Special architecture style of their dwellings, peculiar customs, outfits and decorations, even religion, attract universal attention.
Why do they like black? That’s what the local old man told us about it. According to legend, in the ancient times of their ancestors lived in a mountainous area with dense forests and fertile land. Once another tribe hit them. In the battle of Nunlao, the leader of the people who later became known as Hei Zhuang, was wounded. When he fled into a dense forest, then ripped the leaves of wild indigued plants and put them on wounds. Mystic, but the wound healed very quickly. Under the leadership of Nunlao his tribe overcame invaders. After that, it began to consider this plant "Supernatural grass", The leader ordered to transplant it near the dwelling and wearing clothes painted with it in dark blue, almost black, color. This tradition is transmitted from the kind to the genus, the name happened from this "Haye Zhuang" – "Zhuangs in black outfit".
So it has been historically, that, avoiding wars, Zhuangs have been closed in distant mountains and dense forests. Therefore, their traditions are excellent preserved. Ethnographers believe that the custom is still being complied with black color preference – the consequence of the fact that in their consciousness deeply rooted a peculiar aesthetic appearance – the black color is the most beautiful.
Men are dressed as a rule in a spacious jacket and wide trousers in which it is convenient to work and climb the mountains. On the head traditionally tie a black scarf, and on the belt – a red ribbon, which, on the one hand, helps to move the evil spirits, and on the other, emphasizes the power and masculinity.
Women dress up even more unusual. And old, and young love to wear a kind of cutting jacket, as well as wide pants. Black big scarves in specially tied on the head. Black apron, used as a decorative part of the outfit, serves as the case and bag. From female jewelry, the most significant headdress of six flowers, it is unmarried girl and young women, recently married and having children. And even more amazing, many women love to attach gold plates into two front teeth to show their high status.
Today, many young Zhuans dresses more free. The color gamut of their clothes has changed: blue and white added to absolutely black color. But for the holidays all wear a traditional outfit. And today Zhuangs retain the vintage technologies of dyeing and weaving. In the village of Nonvyunutun each family has a wooden weaving machine and a crumpled tank. Woven the canvas repeatedly bezed and after that deeply paint indigo paint. After boiling with the addition of pork blood, it is immersed in paint. Then starchy black fabric some time is knocked out with a wooden stick. As a result, natural, smooth and flowing black material. Wholesale the whole process requires considerable patience and care in performance, qualities, so characteristic of Zhuans.
Very special customs of the love and marriage relations of Zhuuans – are unique in cultural relation. For example, in the ceremony of explanation in love, young symbolically transmit this love with a red thread during singing. Liu Mei, a young woman from the village of Madutun, still lives with her parents even after married. The custom is such that even in the newlyworked night, a young wife returns to the house of his parents. Only on holidays she visits her husband’s house. Will be indecent if she returns to her parents before the birth of a child. For Liu Mei, this ordinary practice is completely acceptable. She can not only look after parents, but also having a romantic relationship with her husband. Also in young people, she has the right to sing in a choir with young girls. But at such moments, everything closely monitors her.
The last 10 years, with maximum benefits using its water resources and geographical position, residents of the district have made significant growth in the economy. One of the largest industries of natural aromatic spices is located in the Guangxi-Zhuang autonomous area, which is famous for landings of cinnamic and anise trees (on the square above 5,000 and 20,000 hectares, respectively).
And in the county, a natural panorama is fine. Logno, Forest District Baisyunshan, Nonlong’s virgin forest, Protocative Mountain Forest Baiyunshan, Huyosya Gorge, Bainnhahe River, providing opportunities to fans alloy, and others. are unique places like specially intended for tourism.
