Sacred Altar of Heaven
Classification:
Bai Shui Tai Scenic Area
Detailed description
Every year on the seventh day of the second lunar month, the Tian ceremony is held at this altar in Bowan Village. The main altar is dedicated to the heavenly god (the ancestor of humanity, Chongren Lien's father-in-law), the earth god (Chongren Lien's mother-in-law), and the heavenly uncle (the maternal uncle of the ancestor, Chen Hengbao's uncle); the left side is for the natural god "Shu" and the incense burning altar.
According to Naxi tradition, the New Year Tian ceremony is the most sacred folk ritual of the year. Different Tian worship communities, bonded by blood ties, each offer sacrifices, bow in reverence, and pray for blessings at fixed Tian worship sites.
The Naxi people consider themselves descendants of heaven. The significance of the Tian ceremony lies in praying for the prosperity of descendants, family harmony, and national prosperity; it emphasizes remembering the kindness of ancestors, ensuring that the rituals and traditions passed down through generations are inherited and promoted; it regulates social behavior and cultivates good ethical and moral concepts. The Tian ceremony is an important expression of Naxi cultural psychology and a vital way to enhance national traditional awareness and internal cohesion.
Key words:
Bai Shui Tai Scenic Area
year
seventh
lunar
maternal
ritual
chongren
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Scenic Spots
The Upper Tiger Jump is the narrowest section of the entire canyon, with a river width of only about 20 meters. In the middle of the river stands a giant rock, about 13 meters high. It is said that a fierce tiger once jumped to the opposite bank using this rock, hence the name Tiger Jump Stone, and the canyon is also named after it. This giant rock splits the rushing water into two, with waves crashing thunderously, the water and rocks colliding like a roaring tiger, deafening and powerful; bursts of water mist spray onto the face, allowing one to feel the coolness of the water and the vitality of life.
Here, the river is lined with rocky reefs, and the river drops more than a hundred meters within a distance of less than 5 kilometers. The Jinsha River is like a dragon breaking through a narrow pass, rushing forward, with waves crashing against the shore, and muddy waves surging, forming 18 dangerous rapids, famously known as "Stars in the Sky." The rock walls on both sides are like they were cut with a knife or axe, with steep cliffs surrounding them. The poet Sun Ranweng once wrote: "The axe leaves no trace when splitting the barbarian city, and the plow ox flows towards beauty. Every day a trench is made in the line, and the two mountains squeeze the stone as a gate."
The Jinsha River has become much gentler in the lower Hujump section, and the thrilling aspects of the canyon have gradually disappeared, with less danger and more elegance and openness. The view is broad, and all that the eyes can see are fertile fields and winding paths, with the mighty river flowing forward freely. Here, one can appreciate the graceful dance of the Jinsha River girl, the twists and turns of her journey, and the joy of breaking through the stone gate; one can also gaze at the beauty of Haba Snow Mountain and Yulong Snow Mountain.
The goddess manifests her spirit
At the foot of the White Water Terrace, there is a natural statue, pure white like jade, resembling a pregnant woman. It is a place where local people worship the fertility goddess and newlyweds pray for children. Here, there are often devotees and newly married couples who come to burn incense and bow down. The local people regard it as the "goddess of fertility." It is said that men and women who are eager to have children or are infertile will have their wishes fulfilled as long as they worship here.
After the Bai Shui Tai divine spring water flows out, it gathers on the platform to form colorful pools of various sizes. Legend has it that this is the "Shu" (natural deity) bathing pool, called "Shu Ming Gu Chi Gu" in Naxi language.
The crescent-shaped spring pool, also known as the colorful pool, is another micro-landform formed by the accumulation of travertine. It is the most wonderful and aesthetically pleasing terrain in the travertine accumulation landform of Baishui Terrace. The heights of the spring pools differ by 10 to 15 centimeters, stacked layer upon layer from top to bottom, resembling a crescent moon and shaped like terraced fields. The reason why Baishui Terrace is known as the "fields left by immortals" is precisely because of the spring pools.
The Dongba ancient text "Genesis" records that the nine brothers of the sky and the seven sisters of the earth created the heavens and the earth. However, the heavens and the earth were unstable, so the celestial deity established the precious pillar to support the sky, holding up the blue sky above and stabilizing the earth below, thus forming the world initially. The pillar is carved with eight auspicious patterns: white conch, pure water bottle, precious umbrella, auspicious knot, dharma wheel, double fish, lotus flower, and victory banner. The eight treasures are common auspicious patterns in Dongba ancient texts and Dongba paintings, offered as treasures to the deities to bring them joy, thereby bestowing blessings upon people.
Bronze Statue of Natural Deity
"Shu" is the natural deity worshipped by the Naxi people, governing all things in nature and being omnipresent in the natural world. The leader of the "Shu" gods resides in the famous mountains and great lakes. Baishuitai is an important habitat of the "Shu" god as recorded in the Dongba scriptures and a unique place for the worship of natural deities.
Diqing Shangri-La Tiger Leaping Gorge Tourism Management Co., Ltd.
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Address: Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, Shangri-La City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
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