Yibin Culture
Yibin is a famous historical and cultural city in China. The formation and development of Yibin culture have distinct regional and national characteristics. It not only has the features of local ancient national culture, but also integrates with Bashu culture and central plain culture and absorbs the essence of foreign culture. It is an integral part of the splendid culture and art of the Chinese nations and presents its own style and characteristic in many aspects. River culture, Bo & Miao culture, Nezha culture, Liquor culture, Stone culture, Tea culture... Its unique charm with rich connotation make people fascinated.
1. River Culture
As Jinshajiang River and Mingjiang River gather here, Yibin is well-known as "The First City along Ten- Thousand-Mile Yangtze River". Yibin is a bright pearl in the upper reaches of Yangtze River as it's located at the starting point of the golden waterway. Yibin's river culture includes dragon worship, “Chuanzhu” worship, Pagoda building, wharf folk customs, etc.
Dragon Worship
Dragon, the totem of the Chinese nation, is actually the prototype of river with similar forms and appearance. The totem worship of the dragon is the worship to the mysterious power of the river. There are grass dragon dance, small color dragon, bench dragon, fire dragon, water dragon, etc.
“Chuanzhu” Worship
At the Chuanzhu Temple located at the Zouma Street(走马街) of Yibin, Libing is enshrined and worshiped who was dedicated to the water control. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it enjoyed a booming pilgrimage, which was a symbol of people's awe of the great rivers. Yibin has the customs of basking "Chuanzhu", carrying the statue out of the temple and letting the sun insolate it, which will make the god angry and rain pitchforks.
Pagoda Building
There are good dragons and evil dragons. People always hope to conquer, tame and control rivers. So the pagoda that can expel evil was born in due time. The three pagodas of Yibin, namely Jiuzhou Pagoda, white pagoda and Black Pagoda, are used for expeling evils.
Wharf Folk Customs
The six "Du" and eight "Bang" indicates that Yibin river transportation is developed and has become a set of unique cultural symbols. Six "Du" refers to six docks and some of them still stands today. Eight "Bang" refers to eight groups of boatmen.
2. Liquor Culture
China has the longest wine production history and the most splendid wine culture. Yibin wine culture is the most dazzling part in the long history of Chinese wine culture. The "Gujuexinyun(古爵新韵)" standing at the exit of Neijiang-Yibin highway, is a quaint wine vessel that sets the bronze wine vessel unearthed in the warring states period as an example. It lets the travelers smell strong wine fragrance when stepping into Yibin.
Jiudu hotel, Jiudu theater, Wuliangye avenue, Jiudu road, Wuliangye economic and trade building, Wuliangye restaurant, Wuliangye sports center... All these name of streets, buildings and city sculptures all highlight Yibin people's love for wine.
Since the Tang and Song dynasties, some celebrities, scholars and poets coming to this land who either stopped on their journeys or was banished to exile, or wandered in search of seclusion, all lost themselves in the fragrance of a fine wine.
The traditional custom of "Baijiu(摆酒)" is Yibin people's most simple way of celebration. At noon, the wine is served. Banquet serves from the main hall to the courtyard, also known as the courtyard banquet.
3. Bamboo Culture
Bamboo culture is an important part of Yibin culture. As early as the pre-Qin period, bamboo totem worship prevailed in Yibin. During the Qin and Han dynasties, bamboo was widely used in people's production and life. Yibin people has a long history of loving, planting, using and chanting bamboo.
Bamboo has a close relationship with human's work and life. The literati of the past dynasties had a special preference for bamboo, and included it in the "four gentlemen" and left a large number of poems.
There are 58 kinds of bamboo in Yibin, covering an area of over 1 million mu. Yibin people fish with bamboo, build houses with bamboo, produce with bamboo, shelter from wind with bamboo, make hats and shoes with bamboo, etc. In the area of Jiangan and Changning, people make handicraft and art works with bamboo roots and springs, which are famous all over the country. Tailor-made dragon and phoenix chopsticks, was sent to the leader of Mao Zedong. He Huayi, a folk artist, was awarded "national craftsman". At present, Jiangan bamboo spring and bamboo craft has become a national intangible cultural heritage.
4. Tea Culture
In 1022 BC, the Bo people helped king Wu of the Zhou dynasty to successfully conquer King Zhou(纣王), so the Bo states were created. At that time, people started to plant tea. Therefore, Yibin is an ancient tea plantation area with a history of more than 3,000 and is an important post on the ancient tea-horse road. It was awarded the title of "the hometown of early tea in China" by China tea industry circulation association on March 1, 2009 due to its long history and many brands of early tea.
At present, there are a serious of famous and excellent tea products led by "Sichuan Famous Brand", "Sichuan Top Ten Famous Tea" and "Xufu Longya", 4 leading enterprises that has obtained the certification of organic tea products, 23 products that has obtained the green food production license issued by the China Green Food Center. Among them, three brands of Xufu, Xingshi and Linhu has won the national certification of organic tea. Yibin tea now accounts for about one-fifth of tea production in Sichuan province and is sold well all over the country. It's also exported to Russia, Africa, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and other countries and regions.
5. Bo & Miao Culture
Bo is one of the nationalities living in Yibin for a long time. So far, it has disappeared and only legends and remains left. At present, there are still hundreds of wooden coffins hanging on the cliffs in the area of Matangba(麻糖坝) and Luobiao(洛表) and Xingwen(兴文) of Gong County(珙县), telling the history of the Bo nationalities.
The red totems and images of people, horses and animals painted on the stone walls beside the hanging coffins are also reflecting the spirits of the Bo nationalities. Bo culture of Yibin, can be learnt from the cliff hanging coffins and bronze drums. Now, the hanging coffins of Bo people, cliff tombs of Shicheng mountain and cliff tombs of Huangsan, all are symbols of Bo culture.
Yibin is the largest Miao community in Sichuan province. The Miao people are mainly distributed in the areas of Xingwen, Junlian, Gong county. Its unique costumes, folk customs, beliefs, etc., are the shining part of Yibin ethnic culture.
6. Nezha Culture
The influence of Nezha culture in Yibin is widespread, especially in Taiwan and southeast Asia. There have long been legends about the birth and burial of Nezha in Yibin. The story of Nezha helping King Zhou to destroy King Yin coincides with the historical facts of Zhou destroying Yin helped by Bo people.
Up to now, at the confluence of the Nanguang river and the Yangtze river, there are historic sites of Chengtangguan(陈塘关), Jinguangdong(金光洞) and Longjishi(龙脊石). The Nezha Cave stands on the Cuiping Mountain.
For thousands of years, the image of Nezha has been loved by people. In the age of underdeveloped science, it has become a spiritual sustenance and source of strength for the ancestors to resist natural disasters. Based on this, Yibin arts organization created acrobatic plays "Nezha" and Sichuan Opera "Nezha".
