Anlongbao celebration

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Shuangbai is one of the less visited county in Chuxiong region, if not for the tiger-dance festival...there wouldn't be any development I would say！but once they discovered there still some villages practised this ancient tiger-dance and decided it needed to be protect and preserve by....made they perform in any occasion the government wanted. so it became a dancing team for celebration in the county nowaday. now you seldom see they perform it in their village（perhaps one wouldn't get pay now but....it wasn't for the money before someone said they needed to be protect and preserve？！？！）where they belong, and...tradition....supposed to be protect and preserve....was dead or...been transformed manipulately. anyways...with more tourist facilities. that was great for me...as lodging are better and in reasonable price, almost all the guesthouse charge only 40 yuans for a single room with wifi service. but I was heading more further inland to Anlongbao for 2 more festival before finished up this journey and back to Yuanyang. The 90km bus trip traveled through many beauitiful landscape with pretty open mountianous view even the barren soil gave not much colour. Anlongbao situated right next to Ershan and Yimen in Yuxi region. Here live almost 100% Yi people, but of course...they all dress like Han nowaday. anyway....my first destination was Xinjie about 13km from Anlongbao where they will celebrated Kaixinjie(open new market) on the 2nd market day after Newyear. people from the nearby villages would came to dance and of course...shopping！since Xinjie was a rather small village, so the celebration couldn't compared with those in Ershan where I'd attended last year, here the crowds are far less. In Anlongbao township, the drum dance are the most popular activity for the local. so sure you will come across it in any event in this region.
On the 15th day of Newyear is the Yanshenjie. Local folklore said a young beauty from Tayilong village is going to marry the boy she fancy on the 15th, but an monster snake also got eye on the girl as well, and the snake snuck the girl away from the marriage to the cave above the village....anyways...the girl died from refused to eat. the snake kept stay by her side and finally they both turned into rock statue and became the Yanshen for the local to worship（this I really couldn't understand the logic...the snake was a monster then now become a deity to worship？）. well...then local youngters would come here before their marriage, kind of asking for permission and hope the Yanshen won't come to ruin their marriage. but I guess it will be only happened on paper nowaday as I asked many local and they said seldom people go to the cave and pray. so...it will be only on the 15th day of newyear people will gather here for a fun-fair. and it turn out actually a picnic, couple of bbq stands and people came to eat, drink and play card！and sometimes women gather and sance in circle....that was it！I mean...they had fun and I was ok with it....only the 7km walk on that dusty road really killing me, imagine 2 inch deep dusty sand！mushroom cloud steamed up on my every step. shit....there come a bloody car！

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