Mountain Forest Worship (Jishanlin) Festival of Nu Ethnic Minority

Chinese Name:怒族祭山林节
English Name: Mountain Forest Worship (Jishanlin) Festival of Nu Ethnic Minority

Mountain Forest Festival Overview: This festival is observed by the Nu ethnic group (self-called “Ruo Rou” people) residing in Tu’e District, Lanping County, Yunnan Province, as a ritual to worship the forests they live among. The festival typically takes place in the lush months of June and July when trees are in full leaf.

During the ceremony, the entire clan participates, excluding members of other ethnic groups. They gather in a forest area revered as the “sacred forest” on the mountainside. Led by a shaman, they sacrifice a black sheep to pray for the protection of the forest, warding off pests, wildfires, and other hazards, and ensuring the healthy growth of the trees. After the ritual, the sheep is cooked on-site and shared among the participants.

Festival Date: Held on the 4th and 5th days of the first lunar month.

Locations: This festival is observed in various locations including Fugong County, Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County, Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County, all in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, and in Weixi Lisu Autonomous County of Deqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Festival Features: This event is exclusively for male participants, and the sacrificial animal is a black sheep.

Celebration: The ritual is presided over by a shaman, and villagers sacrifice a black sheep to the gods and ancestral trees, praying for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest. After the ceremony, the community gathers to cook and share the sheep under the sacred trees; the meat cannot be taken home. The villagers not only strictly prohibit logging in the sacred forest but also hunting around the ceremonial grounds. Thus, this ancient and simple ritual contributes to the lushness of the forests surrounding the villages, conserving the mountains and protecting the villages.

This festival showcases the Nu people’s deep respect for nature and their efforts to maintain ecological balance through traditional rituals.