文档介绍：The Zhuang Nationality
壮族
Population and Distribution
With a population of about 17,000,000, the Zhuang ethnic minority is the largest minority group in China with a long history and glorious culture.
Over 90 percent of the Zhuang people live in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The rest of the Zhuang people reside in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Hunan Provinces.
The Zhuang ethnic minority has a language of its own that belongs to the Zhuang-Dai branch of Zhuang-Dong Austronesian (an austronesian belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family of languages)汉藏语系壮侗语族壮傣语支.
Language
Festivals
Besides sharing similar festivals with the Han, the Zhuang minority has its unique ones including: the Singing Festival, the Ox Soul Festival, the Devil Festival and so on.
Singing Festival 三月歌圩节
Held on March 3rd of the lunar calendar .
The Zhuang people will sing to each other to challenge each other not only the song itself but also wit . Lyrics are usually improvisational and humorous that makes every one burst into laughter. It is also a perfect day for the young men to express their love to the girls by singing, so it is also reputed as the Valentine's Day of the Zhuang ethnic minority .
Ox Soul Festival牛魂节
The Ox Soul Festival held on April 8th of the lunar month is to celebrate the birthday of the king of oxen and to show their love and respect to the ox, therefore, each ox is relieved from their yokes and free from plowing.
People give the ox a bath panied with beating drums. Parents of a family feed the ox with five-colored glutinous rice, while singing folk songs. It is a festival that represents their great hope for a good harvest.
壮族牛魂节的传说
壮族人认为四月初入是牛王诞日。传说牛原来不是凡间的一般牲口,而是天上的神物。四月初八,牛王诞生于天上,所以这天是牛王的生日。在远古时期,陆地上没有草木,岩石裸露,黄土遍地,尘沙弥漫,人类生活受到极大的影响。’牛魔王看到这种情景,心里很同情,便派遣牛王下到人间,为人类播种古章,改善人类的生活环境。牛王奉命来到人间之后;开始播种百章。原来牛魔王指示它每三步撒一把草种,但牛王记错了,竟变成每一步撒三把草种。由于撒种过多过密,使得满山遍野杂草丛生,连人类耕种的田地也长满杂草,禾苗受到损害。由于牛王错误地执行牛魔王的指令,没有给人间带来好处,牛魔王便罚它留在人间吃草,并替人类出力耕田耕地。这样,人间才有了吃草耕地的牛。牛老老实实地出力帮人耕田耕地,赢得了人们的