Xibo-Legend of the Bow and Arrow

In the northwest border of the motherland, there is a place where arrows are closely connected with the soul of the nation. It is Chabuchaer Xibe Autonomous County, known as the "Chinese Arrow Town".

Chabuchaer Xibe Autonomous County is an autonomous county under the jurisdiction of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, located in the vast river valley basin south of the Ili River.

Chabuchaer means "granary" in Xibe language. This is the only autonomous county in the country where the Xibe people are the main ethnic group.

In the cultural development of the Xibe people, bow and arrow culture occupies an important position. Bows and arrows have accompanied the Xibe people through a long history and have become an important witness to the development of the nation and historical inheritance.

In the hearts of the Xibe people, this ancient weapon has long surpassed the definition of hunting tools and has been deeply engraved in the national spirit.

Get to know the Xibe people from the Westward Migration Festival

Every year on the 18th day of the fourth lunar month is one of the important festivals of the Xibe people-the Westward Migration Festival, which is called "Duyin Baizhuan Zhakun" in Xibe language.

On this day, people gather together in traditional costumes, prepare rich food, dance cheerfully, sing ancient songs, and celebrate. In addition, various competitive activities are held, such as archery, horse racing, wrestling and other competitions.

The Westward Migration Festival is a festival of historical significance. In 1764, in order to consolidate and enrich the northwest border defense, the Qing government dispatched more than 3,000 Xibe officers and soldiers who were "good at riding and shooting, elite soldiers and brave generals" and their families to migrate westward from the northeast in an organized manner.

After one year and five months of hardships, they finally arrived in Yili, established the Xibe Camp, settled in the border, and took root in the Yili River Valley, making outstanding contributions to the security of the border.

Later, in order to commemorate this important historical event, people set April 18th of the lunar calendar as the Westward Migration Festival and carried out various commemorative activities.

In the cultural life of the Xibe people, bow and arrow culture is an important part, and the nature of the culture has also undergone many changes with the development of society.

Bows and arrows in folk life

In the customs of the Xibe people, the birth of a new life also involves bows and arrows.

When a baby is just born, the family will solemnly hang a small bow and arrow on "Xi Li Mama", the goddess worshipped by the Xibe people to bless the reproduction of offspring and the safety of the family, and then hang a small bow with a bright red line at the door of the house. The purpose of doing this is to hope that their children can grow up to be as tough and powerful as bows and arrows.

The Xibe people also practice arm-raising in daily life, raising and lowering both arms at the same time while maintaining balance, while lifting heavy objects and humming songs to record time. After a day's work, everyone will gather together to see who can hold on the longest.

The custom of "weightlifting" actually evolved from the training of improving the strength and stability of the arm when drawing the bow.

When Xibe young people go on blind dates, the young man must show his superb archery skills in front of the girl. If the girl is satisfied with the young man's archery ability, she will come forward and draw the bow and arrow with him to express her consent to the marriage.

The Xibe people cherish and value archery supplies very much. They believe that bows and arrows are "holy tools". Therefore, they are very careful in making bows and arrows, and they also make exquisite quivers with pure animal skins.

Therefore, the Xibe people will give quivers as the most precious gifts to relatives and friends, and quivers are often awarded as prizes to winners in archery competitions.

At the same time, they also avoid carrying knives while carrying quivers. They believe that knives and bows and arrows are incompatible, and arrows near the blades will be damaged or lost.

The divine arrows passed down by word of mouth

There are many folk legends related to "arrows" in Chabuchar. In "Zarwa who is not afraid of ghosts", Zarwa wrestles with the "ghost" every night. At the reminder of his mother, Zarwa decided to use a bow and arrow to deal with the "ghost".

One night, Zarwa shot down the "ghost" with an arrow, and adults and children nearby came to watch. They set fire to the "ghost" and burned it to ashes. From then on, people in the vicinity were no longer afraid of ghosts and lived a peaceful life.

In the legend of "Xilanbatu Eliminating Demons", the homes and fields of the villagers were separated by a river. Every day, they would cross the river to the other side to plant, graze, and chop wood. Suddenly one day, a house appeared on the other side of the river. From then on, people who went to work on the other side of the river began to disappear one after another, and the villagers were very scared to work in their own fields.

At this time, the archer Xilanbatu chose to go to the other side to find out. He crossed the river and walked to the house. He saw an old woman doing needlework with a candle. He raised his bow and shot. The arrow pierced her chest, but she was unharmed and even turned into a hideous ghost.

Xilanbatu thought that the candle would be her original form, so he aimed the arrow at the candle and shot it, extinguishing the candle. The ghost and the house disappeared together. People no longer had to worry and returned to their normal lives.

Most of these folk tales are passed down in the form of narratives about the confrontation between humans and ghosts. There are also poems such as "Hunting Song", "Arrow Song" and "Song of Westward Migration" that express the character and pursuit of the Xibe people in heroic language, becoming a kind of embodiment of the spirit of westward migration.

Whether it is legends or poems, they all come from the daily life of the Xibe people. They not only carry part of the memory of ethnic migration and cultural heritage, but also deeply reflect the Xibe people's awe and love for bows and arrows.

This inheritance has allowed the bow and arrow culture to continue for thousands of years among the Xibe people. Even with the changes of the times, bows and arrows have always been one of the core symbols of Xibe culture.

Experience Guide of Arrow Township

After understanding the history, customs and legends of Arrow Township, do you want to immerse yourself in the charm of the Xibe bow and arrow culture?

When you come to Chabuchaer Xibe Autonomous County, you can first go to the Xibe National Museum in the Xibe Ancient City.

Exquisite ethnic costumes and daily utensils are displayed here. Come here to see, hear and feel the magnificent history of the Xibe people's westward migration to guard the border in more detail.

After visiting the museum, you can visit the Bow and Arrow Museum next to the ancient city. This is the first museum in the country with bow and arrow culture as its theme. The museum displays various ancient bow and arrow exhibits, archery protective gear and many precious historical materials in pictures and text forms, showing all aspects of bow and arrow culture.

The 1764 Cultural Park, which is worth checking in, is named after the year when the Xibe people migrated westward. There are many sculptures and landscapes in the park that reproduce the struggle of the ancestors who crossed thousands of miles and took root in the frontier.

The archery equipment here is relatively complete, and various archery competitions and interesting research activities are often held. Here you can immerse yourself in the charm of bow and arrow culture and experience the experience and fun brought by archery.

Welcome to Chabuchaer Arrow Township

From historical origins to mythological stories, to today's bow and arrow cultural inheritance and entertainment projects, bows and arrows run through the development process of the Xibe people and are a treasure of national culture.

When you come to the Jiangnan area outside the Great Wall to enjoy the natural scenery, you may as well take half a day to visit the Chabuchaer Archery Village, step into the archery field, and personally pull a traditional Xibe bow and arrow to feel the passion and charm of the bow and arrow culture. It will definitely be worth your trip!