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- Panel 6-2 The Interweaving of Material Culture and Views of Life: The Construction of Personhood in the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual of the Zhuang People in Guangxi /Kao Ya-ning
Panel 6-2 The Interweaving of Material Culture and Views of Life: The Construction of Personhood in the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual of the Zhuang People in Guangxi /Kao Ya-ning
Kao Ya-ning
Department of Ethnology, National Chengchi University
This study examines the multiple meanings of “rice” as both material culture and symbolic representation in the “Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual” of the Zhuang people in Guangxi, analyzing how this ethnic group constructs their personhood. In the Zhuang cultural context, the status of “elderly” is defined based on family structure and intergenerational relationships, specifically referring to those who are married, have children, and hold grandparent status. Traditionally, while both young and old in Zhuang society do not customarily celebrate birthdays, the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual essentially functions as a longevity celebration, with specific temporal regulations: the first ritual can be performed at age forty-nine, followed by recurring cycles every twelve years.
From a ritual practice perspective, the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual involves complex kinship networks and material exchange systems. Sons-in-law are responsible for preparing ritual foods, while patrilineal relatives (brothers) and community members (neighbors) are required to bring uncooked rice as ritual gifts, gathering at the elder’s residence for the ceremony. From an ethno-cosmological perspective, the Zhuang say that an elder’s life force correlates positively with the amount of rice-grain stored in heavenly granaries, making the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual a mechanism for life maintenance.
This research focuses on the performance of material culture in the Zhuang Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual, particularly analyzing the cultural significance of rice grain in their daily practices, and through this, exploring how ritual behaviors manifest in the construction of personhood. This study not only contributes to an understanding of the Zhuang people’s views of life and religious practices but also deepens our comprehension of the complex interactions between material culture, ritual practices, and social relationships.
Department of Ethnology, National Chengchi University
This study examines the multiple meanings of “rice” as both material culture and symbolic representation in the “Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual” of the Zhuang people in Guangxi, analyzing how this ethnic group constructs their personhood. In the Zhuang cultural context, the status of “elderly” is defined based on family structure and intergenerational relationships, specifically referring to those who are married, have children, and hold grandparent status. Traditionally, while both young and old in Zhuang society do not customarily celebrate birthdays, the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual essentially functions as a longevity celebration, with specific temporal regulations: the first ritual can be performed at age forty-nine, followed by recurring cycles every twelve years.
From a ritual practice perspective, the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual involves complex kinship networks and material exchange systems. Sons-in-law are responsible for preparing ritual foods, while patrilineal relatives (brothers) and community members (neighbors) are required to bring uncooked rice as ritual gifts, gathering at the elder’s residence for the ceremony. From an ethno-cosmological perspective, the Zhuang say that an elder’s life force correlates positively with the amount of rice-grain stored in heavenly granaries, making the Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual a mechanism for life maintenance.
This research focuses on the performance of material culture in the Zhuang Adding-Rice-Grain Ritual, particularly analyzing the cultural significance of rice grain in their daily practices, and through this, exploring how ritual behaviors manifest in the construction of personhood. This study not only contributes to an understanding of the Zhuang people’s views of life and religious practices but also deepens our comprehension of the complex interactions between material culture, ritual practices, and social relationships.