Distant view of Holy Mountain of Exorcism
Close shot of Holy Mountain of Exorcism
Local people perform "Tiaoxiang" dance.
Local people perform "Tiaoxiang" dance.
Recently, journalists paid a visit to the Holy Mountain of Exorcism, worshiped by local people, in Mingxikou Township of Yuanling County, west of Hunan Province.
It is noticed that the mountain resembles greatly with the bronze exorcism masks unearthed in Sanxingdui Archeological Site in 1929. It is amazing that the mountain seems to be with eyes, nose and two horns. In addition, the five more exorcism mask-like mountains behind the Holy Mountain look like 5 assistants to the God Nuo, the exorcising god. The six mountains stand for the gods of Shaman Exorcism.
Liu Zhongwei, local expert of folk custom in Yuanling, believed that these mountains are the prototype of exorcism mask. Though ancient people in southern part of China worshiped birds, the appearance of exorcism mask is closely alike these mountains instead of birds.
Actually, people near around the Holy Mountain still follow the traditional Exorcism culture like "Tiaosang", "Tiaoxiang" and "Tiaoqiguniang" dance.
