**5. Zhuinui Overview**

Unlike the one-day government-sponsored tourist rendering of the zhuiniu ritual, the traditional ritual was an elaborate, multi-faceted village-wide event requiring months of preparation and organization, which financially obligated the sponsoring family. Although

a family-initiated event, given the extended family socialization of traditional villages, the participation of the entire community was an understood given.

When I arrived at La Yi village, the six badai were gathered, discussing the sequence of events to begin the ritual the following day. They had just finished a three-day fast with a meal of vegetables and rice. "To begin, we must have no blood in our body and be pure for the gods. We must not even swat a mosquito, which can draw blood. You must instead shake it off" (Yang 2018a).

They were seated around a central open pit with a low fire burning. Ma Mei's brother's rough-hewn, barn-like home was a high, open structure of wood darkened by the smoke from the fire pit, used for warmth and gathering. A wood-fed "stove" was in the adjacent kitchen area. The stone and concrete floor was wide and open to accommodate the drying, sorting, and storage of harvested items. Large rice and grain sacks were piled next to farm tools in the corners. The ceiling was hung with hundreds of ears of corn drying. Nearby was a ladder to a sleeping loft. The sounds of pigs, chickens, and goats could be heard from the interconnected barn area. The house was typical of rural houses throughout the region. The zhuiniu would occur in the adjacent house belonging to the parents, which was similarly arranged and larger.

With me were Wheeler Sparks, my assistant and videographer; Megan Evans, my former student and now a professor at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand; Yang Bingfeng, a former Ph.D. student of mine and translator; and Peng Jinquan, a dear friend, filmmaker, and translator, and activist for Miao cultural preservation. As the six badai spoke, a silent flat-screen television flashed a sporting event in the background. Ma Mei, the event organizer, a governmen<sup>t</sup> official and Miao scholar and cultural activist, welcomed us.

Such a gathering was unprecedented. Badai generally work alone or with those from their school.<sup>11</sup> All six badai were known and respected masters. Except for badai Tian, who was from the hosting La Yi village, the others were from nearby villages. Ma Mei had chosen well.<sup>12</sup>

The excitement of the six badai was palpable.

They enjoy meeting and talking with the other badai and being hosted. There is food, and people take care of them, and they are paid. If they, do it quickly, it will end quickly, and they will be back home. For them, this is a grea<sup>t</sup> pleasure" (Peng 2018a).

None had met before but knew of the others by name and reputation. Each day, during and after dinner, the badai spent hours going over the details for the following day. Although the reconstruction of the zhuiniu was why they were gathered, their discussions were often opportunities to reflect, exchange, compare, and reaffirm their tradition and lives as badai. Used to conducting all-night rituals, they talked well into the night about a range of issues revealing their roles as spiritual and cultural guides.

These days are an extraordinary situation. We come from different schools, but there is cooperation. Usually, only badai from the same school work together. The badai knows those in his line, the same system, only those masters. We are not familiar with their practice and learning different ways (C. Shi 2018b).
