What are the origins and customs of bonfire parties?

Bonfire party is a traditional custom of Oroqen nationality in Northeast China, and it is also one of the most important programs. On this day, the Oroqen people will sacrifice fire to show their respect for it. Then they will sit around the campfire, chat and drink. Next, let's introduce the bonfire party in detail.

The Oroqen people have lived and multiplied in the vast forests for generations, making a living by hunting and forming an indissoluble bond with fire. Fire can be used for heating, lighting and cooking, and it can also make people suffer disasters. The Oroqen people believe that "crossing Europe is like a ridge" (Vulcan) is the great god of nature. On the morning of the first day of the first month of each year, you should bow down and kowtow to the fireplace first, and then kowtow to the elders at home to pay New Year greetings. When visiting other people's homes, you should bow to the fireplace before entering the home. When eating every day, you should throw some meat, rice and other foods into the fireplace to show your sacrifice. The reverence for God is also manifested in the prohibition of splashing water on the fire, making a fire with a knife and fork, and not burning firewood that sparks, so as not to offend Vulcan.

There are few festivals of Oroqen nationality, and the only important festival before settlement is Spring Festival. The Spring Festival of Oroqen people is a time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and celebrate the harvest of hunting. On New Year's Eve, the whole family lit a bonfire in front of the door to worship, hoping that Vulcan would protect people and animals and give more prey.

In addition to the Spring Festival, Oroqen people will also light a bonfire with their ethnic groups when they return from hunting, and they will sing and dance for a week to celebrate their return from hunting. In short, the Oroqen people fear fire and call it Vulcan, and they can't live without fire everywhere.

After liberation, traditional customs were also impacted by the transformation of settlement and production economy from hunting to agriculture and animal husbandry. In order to carry forward the national traditional culture and respect the national customs and habits, in 199 1 year, the flag committee and the flag government decided June 8 as the Torch Festival according to the Oroqen tradition and the wishes of the masses. Considering that it is unsafe to use fire in the field during the martial law on June 8, the Standing Committee of the Flag Committee decided to change the Torch Festival to June 18 every year. 1996 The 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Eighth People's Congress of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region approved the Regulations of Oroqen Autonomous Banner. Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions Article 57 stipulates that June 7th is the anniversary of the founding of Autonomous Banner, and June18th is the traditional ethnic festival of Oroqen nationality-Torch Festival.