Yonghe Road

Chapter 52 She Nationality
Xie Anmin thought that the "immortal" that Zhong Ziqi mentioned was probably the totem.

Every ethnic group has its own totem, whether Chinese or foreign.

For example, the West reveres the eagle, which represents freedom and courage; in the East, the dragon symbolizes auspiciousness, authority, and prosperity, and the phoenix is regarded as the embodiment of beauty, nobility, and good fortune. The auspicious combination of dragon and phoenix is the common pride of the descendants of Yan and Huang.

Among ethnic minorities, the white pheasant symbolizes purity, kindness, and diligence, and is a sacred bird in the hearts of the Hani people; the Miao people believe that maple trees are the transformed form of Chiyou after he was defeated by the Yellow Emperor, so some villages regard maple trees as village guardian trees. There is also a legend that the "Butterfly Mother" created the world, so butterflies have become a common pattern in Miao embroidery. They are regarded as one of the Miao totems because they symbolize the origin and reproduction of life.

In addition to animals and plants being regarded as totems, objects and buildings are also regarded as totems, such as the crossbow of the Lisu people, the bronze drum of the Zhuang people, and the Potala Palace of the Tibetan people.

Before Xie Anmin arrived in Baile Village to live there, he knew nothing about the She people and did not know what their totem was.

Because Baile Village is a settlement of She and Han people, after Xie Anmin came to Baile Village, he interviewed many She people, visited the She ethnic museum in the village, and consulted a lot of She ethnic information. He learned that the totems of the She people are Panhu and Phoenix.

According to legend, in ancient times, the queen of Emperor Gao Xin suffered from earache for three years. She took out a worm from her ear and raised it in a plate. Suddenly, the worm turned into a golden dragon dog, shining with light and covered with stripes. Emperor Gao Xin named it Longqi and also called it Panhu.

Later, when the Quanrong invaded and the country was in danger, Emperor Gao Xin issued an edict to seek talents, and anyone who could behead the Quanrong king could marry the third princess.

After Panhu revealed the list, he took advantage of the drunken king's behavior and bit off his head. He then returned to his kingdom and presented it to Emperor Gao Xin. However, Emperor Gao Xin wanted to cancel the engagement because Panhu was not human. Panhu said that if he placed himself in a golden bell for seven days and nights, he would become human.

However, on the sixth day, the princess was worried that Panhu would starve to death, so she opened the golden bell in advance. At this time, Panhu's body had turned into a human form, but his head had not yet turned into a human form.

Fortunately, the third princess did not dislike Panhu, so Panhu, who had a dragon head and a human body, married the third princess.

After marriage, Panhu was unwilling to be an official, so he took his wife and children to live on a high mountain in Lingnan, where he reclaimed wasteland, cultivated land, and had children. His first child took his father's surname Pan; when the second child was born, the family was busy with farm work, so the child was placed in a basket, so the child was named Lan; when the third child was born, it was raining heavily and thundering, so the child was named Lei; the fourth child was a girl, and when she went to the field, the sound of bells "dangdangdang" was heard in the distance, so the child was named Zhong.

This is the origin of the four major surnames of the She people: Pan, Lan, Lei and Zhong.

As for the Phoenix Totem, there are traces to follow.

The traditional attire of She women is the "Phoenix Costume," which mimics the image of a phoenix, from their hairstyle to their clothing. They style their hair into a towering "Phoenix Bun," symbolizing a phoenix crown. Their clothing is embroidered with colorful patterns, symbolizing the phoenix's vibrant plumage. On important occasions like weddings, in addition to the Phoenix Costume, they also wear headdresses and accessories emblazoned with phoenix motifs to bring good luck and prosperity.

There are many legends about why the She people regard the phoenix as a totem:
One story goes that when the Third Princess married King Panhu, Emperor Gao Xin, who loved his daughter, gifted her with a phoenix crown and robe. Attracted by her beauty and elegance, the phoenix flew down from the mountains, dancing around her and chirping sweetly. Since then, the phoenix has had an indissoluble bond with the She people.

Another story goes that during the long migration of the She ethnic group's ancestors, they experienced countless hardships and dangers. Once, the team lost their way in the mountains, food was scarce, diseases were prevalent, and people fell into extreme despair.

At this moment, a beautiful phoenix descended from the sky, holding ears of grain in its mouth and trailing colorful clouds as it circled in the air. It led the She people to a mountain in Lingnan, where they found fertile valleys and clear water sources, allowing the She people to live and work here in peace and prosperity and reproduce.

To express gratitude for the Phoenix's kindness, and because the mountain resembles a phoenix, the She people named it "Phoenix Mountain," revering the phoenix as a totem and remembering this kindness for generations. Both Panhu and the phoenix are imbued with mythology, so it's no surprise that the She people are called "descendants of the gods."

In the past, the She people lived in the mountains, with scarce supplies and poor lives, but they still gave away the only grains and sweet potatoes they had in their homes to support the Red Army revolution.

The She women used their craftsmanship skills to make straw sandals, cloth socks, military uniforms and other daily necessities day and night to provide the Red Army soldiers with the necessary equipment.

The She people took advantage of the complex and remote terrain where they lived, risking their lives to cross the enemy's blockade and pass on intelligence to the Red Army troops.

Some She villages in eastern Fujian also became secret contact points of the Red Army. The She people provided food, accommodation and rest areas for the Red Army in their homes or hidden places to ensure the safety of the Red Army soldiers and the smooth transmission of intelligence.

The She people have rich knowledge of herbal medicine and folk medicine. They picked herbs from the mountains, boiled ointments and soups to treat the wounded Red Army soldiers.

The She people were familiar with the local topography and took the initiative to serve as guides for the Red Army troops, helping them march and fight in the complex mountainous areas.

Many young and middle-aged She people joined the Red Army and joined the battle.

In the 1930s, the Red Army persisted in waging guerrilla warfare against the Kuomintang army in eastern Fujian, effectively restraining the Kuomintang army, coordinating the strategic transfer of the main force of the Central Red Army and the struggle in other revolutionary bases, preserving the vitality of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and making important contributions to the victory of the Chinese revolution. Among them, the people of eastern Fujian, especially the She people, made an indelible contribution.

Living in the mountains and enduring great hardships, he jokingly calls himself "descendant of gods", which shows his optimism, open-mindedness and strength.

Xie Anmin looked up at the mountains in front of him, his eyes becoming deep and complicated.

These rolling hills, every ridge, bears witness to the She people's past hard work and difficult lives over the years. They are like the She people's tough backbone, carrying their suffering and hope for generations.

In these high mountains, the She people are like tenacious wild grasses. Despite experiencing wind and rain, they are still full of vitality.

Today, the She people have long since left the mountains, but their souls still shine on the top of the mountains.

"Zi Qi, your father must be an optimistic person. You She people are all remarkable people." Xie Anmin withdrew his gaze from the mountain and said to Zhong Zi Qi with a smile.

Zhong Ziqi looked down at Xie Anmin, her eyes full of emotion, as if she was looking into the deepest part of his soul.

Zhong Ziqi suddenly cheered up and said, "Anmin, I will carry you down the mountain."