Climbing the Sword Ladder in Qilin Village

142.Climbing the Sword Ladder in Qilin Village

Nominating Unit: City of Zhanjiang

Climbing the sword ladder is also called climbing the sword mountain. It is an important activity in the traditional folk festival “Nail” in Qilin Village, Mazhang District, City of Zhanjiang, aiming at driving out the evil spirits and disaster and pray for blessing and safety. The custom originated from a legend about the general Zhang Xingwu worshipped by the local people. It is said that Zhang once learned three kinds of kongfu, Sword Mountain, Fire Mountain and Thorn Mountain, in Huainan Shushan Mountain. Later he led his army to attack guimenguan (a danger spot) in Luohan. The army formed a people ladder with 36 lieutenant generals and then the 108 young generals climbed the people ladder with their swords and killed the devil so as to make live and work in peace and contentment. After that, the villagers changed the 36 people ladder into a sword ladder with 36 swords and developed climbing the sword ladder, the unique folk activity.

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The activity is held every year on the 11th and 12th in February of the lunar calendar, the time of the festival “nianli”. The sword ladder is made of a symmetrical wood ladder of 18 meters high with 36 swords tied to the two sides of the ladder. The activity consists of four steps including worshipping, erecting, climbing and putting away the ladder. While worshipping, the worshipper leads the team to the square with a torch in his hand. Young men raise four divine sedans running around the ladder, naming “doushen”(shaking the divinities). Then stepping on the ladder that is not then erected, the worshipper cast a spell and invite the divinities to worship the ladder so as to pray for safety for the climber. After worshipping, people would erect the ladder by 8 big ropes. And before the ladder is steady, some young men would begin to climb it in short clothes and with naked feet and hand. The performers climb to the top in the sound of suona, gongs and drums and the popping firecrackers. The swords are sharp, but the performers succeed climbing the ladder without any injuries. Finally comes the last step, putting away the ladder. The villagers are self-organized for a parade along a fi xed routine with the fi rst day in the village and the second day in the town.

Climbing the sword ladder in Qilin Village, a traditional folk activity in Zhanjiang district, is deeply rooted in the local culture with a long history and profound cultural connotation. It provides important value to the study of ancient history, folk culture and folk beliefs in Zhanjiang.

As the economy and society develop, folk beliefs are fading away. The traditional technique of “climbing the sword ladder” can hardly be handed down from generation to generation; the ritual procedures and rules are gradually lost; the number of senior artists and coaches is reducing. This custom is faced with the danger of disappearance and needs urgent rescue and protection.