Flying Cloud Cliff & Ge Family
cctv.com 08-14-2003 09:29
Twenty minutes drive from Jiuzhou town, along an ancient communications route is a little place called Flying Cloud Cliff. It used to be a postal house where people could stop over and take a rest. There is a temple inside and the place is still the center of local festivals.
The compound is a quiet, restful spot that suits the needs of the tired traveler. It was not only a stop-off point for ordinary people, some high ranking Qing Dynasty officials have also stayed here. Right now you can't stay overnight, but it's still a good place to enjoy a moment of rest.
One of the Chinese philosophies is harmonies between human beings and nature. The pavilion is one good example. The small pavilion was designed as part of the rocks. You have to climb through steps built in a cave to get to the second floor. It's a strange experience to open a window into the vast greenness of a quiet vista.
Karst topography is typical of Guizhou. There used to be a statue of the Goddess of Mercy sitting over there and people would come and worship her in this natural temple. But when you come, what you need to see is up there.
A huge cypress tree stands high on top of the rock cave. It's hard to imagine how such a tree could survive on the hard stone. I was told the tree is more than 500 years old because there are records of it in old books. Somehow it's managed to grow much stronger and bigger than the trees around it. Another example of the tenacity of life.
In the mountains near Jiuzhou, there live a special group of people. Anthropologists are yet to fit them into a category but they call themselves the Ge Family. You can see them perform in the Feiyun Valley at a rafting resort.
The Ge family carries on the warrior spirit and it's apparent in their costumes. The women look like they're wearing helmets and armor. But the most striking aspect is their headwear 鈥 it's like a sun with an arrow on it.
The Ge family believe they are the descendents of Houyi, the legendary figure who shot down nine suns to save the world from being scorched. The girls' hair is arranged to commemorate this brave feat of their hero ancestor.
In Flying Cloud Valley, the Ge people have also ritualized courtship in their own way. They've developed a dance that's both a performance and a game. The girl tries to hit her partner's back as the boy tries to step on her feet. All the messages and feelings are expressed in this way, aggressive and sweet at the same time.
Editor:Han Ling Source:CCTV.com
