The activities of picking up and sending off the local master in the first month of the lunar calendar in Daying, Binchuan, Shangcang, and Baidangping of Jizushan Town are ethnic folk beliefs and folk cultures with unique characteristics. It is a kind of local worship and local sacrifice activity. Here, the "Emperor's Day" in the first month of the lunar calendar in Qi Village, Daying Town is taken as an example to introduce its formation and grand activities. It is said that during the Nanzhao period of the Tang Dynasty, Zhao Shanzheng and Yang Ganzhen returned to their hometown to celebrate the New Year from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month during their reign. They visited Qitou, Yiwei, Qizhong, Qiwei, Heijiayi and other villages to observe the people's sentiments and have fun with the people. They learned that the lives of the elders and villagers were very difficult. After the festival, Yang Ganzhen returned to Yangzhumie City with his entourage. A few days later, he issued an imperial decree: exempting Qi Village from corvée and taxes, and exempting boat fees from crossing Erhai Lake by boat. There is still a couplet circulating in Qi Village: "Qi Village is tax-free, Su Gong personally sealed it, Nanzhao has an order, Gan Zhen wrote it down" (corvée and taxes were abolished during the Dali Kingdom period, and free boat rides were abolished until the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China). In 937 AD, in the second year of Tianfu, Emperor Gaozu of the Later Jin Dynasty, Duan Siping, the governor of Tonghai, led his army to capture Yangzhumie City (now the ancient city of Dali). Gan Zhen was defeated and abdicated to become a monk. Duan Siping changed the country's name to "Dali", and the Nanzhao of the Tang Dynasty ended and the Dali of the Song Dynasty began. After Gan Zhen lost his country, he abdicated to become a monk, with the Buddhist name Dahui. He once served as the abbot of the Jizu Mountain Temple, and later traveled and sat in Emei Mountain. In order to commemorate his merits, later generations built temples in the village, sculpted his golden body, and made the dates of his return to the village to celebrate the festival from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month a permanent historical and traditional festival for the people of Qi Village. During these days every year, everyone in the village takes the initiative to clean the environment, and the alleys are brand new. Every household happily posts couplets, hangs red lanterns, and fills the table with delicious food. Guests from all over the world gather in Qi Village, presenting a happy, harmonious and happy situation. The Spring Festival is the most solemn and warmest festival of the Chinese nation, but the people of Qi Village have their own unique and solemn way to celebrate the New Year. The eleventh to fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the annual Emperor's Festival in Qi Village. During these days, Qi Village will hold a grand ceremony to receive the Buddha. The "Buddha" received is the ancestor Guanyin, the Emperor Zhao Shanzheng, Yang Ganzhen and their mother, the queen and the old lady of the Holy Mother. The ceremony of receiving the Emperor in Qi Village has a clear division of labor. It is arranged according to the schedule of the Emperor going out on the eleventh day of the first lunar month and returning to the altar on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It is well organized. The four villages of Yiwei, Qiwei, Qizhong and Qitou take turns to organize the welcoming and sending off, and the Heijiayi Dragon and Lion Dance Team also enters to participate in various activities to receive the Buddha. First, Yiwei Village cleaned Wenchang Palace (the Emperor's Palace) one day in advance on the tenth day. Some wrote couplets, some made flower-shaped paper-cuts, and hung big red lanterns inside the gate. Five-colored flags fluttered in the wind over the Wenchang Palace Square. The elders of the Lotus Pond Association and the Dongjing Altar in the village prepared various musical instruments in accordance with Buddhist rules and etiquette, and actively cooperated with the ceremony of welcoming and seeing off the Emperor. According to traditional customs, the groom who got married this year carried the Buddhist sedan chair that night, and "quietly" came to the Laogong Temple in Qitou when it was getting dark, and "stealthily" brought back the Guanyin ancestor to sit in the middle of the main hall of the Wenchang Palace in Yiwei (implying respect for the Buddha and praying for children and grandchildren to ensure safety). On the morning of the eleventh day of the first lunar month, the Yiwei Village lion and dragon performance team was ready to welcome the emperor. The grooms had already dressed up the dragon boat (also called "Buddha car", a wooden four-wheeled vehicle) and the sedan chair, just like the emperor's tour in those days; the girls wore the most beautiful Bai costumes, and everyone was heroic, dancing with the Overlord Whip and the Money Drum; the young men put on dragon costumes, waiting to welcome the emperor Zhao Shanzheng. At this time, the person in charge announced: "The auspicious time has arrived." After three salutes, the Buddha-receiving team began to march. Suddenly, the gongs and drums were loud, and the sound of suona resounded through the sky. They came to the Qitou Laogong Temple singing and dancing all the way, and welcomed the emperor Zhao Shanzheng and his mother and two accompanying gods to sit in the Yiwei Wenchang Palace. After breakfast, the Yiwei Buddha-receiving team gathered in the square. Everyone welcomed the king Yang Ganzhen with a pious and joyful mood, and the Wenchang Palace Square was crowded with people inside and outside. At this time, three cannons were heard, and the order was issued. The Buddha-receiving team surged at the same time. The sound of gongs and drums, and suonas were deafening. They sang, danced, and danced along the way, one wave higher than the other. The elders of the Lotus Pond Society and the Holy Edict Altar followed the team, beating wooden fish in their hands and reciting the opening sutra: "I am going out to embark on the journey today. When I come to the road, I will seal the gods. Four sedan chairs and four Vajra, eight sedan chairs and eight seats of eight heavenly kings. The flower boy will lead the way, a steel knife will break the ghost gate, be quiet, stand up slowly, and hold the fairy flower to subdue the demons. Go up and down, please come to the Thunder God, please come to the Thunder God, the evil demons and monsters will turn into dust." When the team reached the bridge, they chanted: "The emperor passed by the bridge, the fine music sounded, and the sound of the sutras was like the fine music." All the way to the temple of Qiwei, they prayed devoutly to Emperor Yang Ganzhen, held candles and burned incense, and all the personnel knelt down and bowed three times, respectfully inviting the emperor to go to the Wenchang Palace in Yiwei. Led by the pioneer officer, the God of Wealth, and the dragon and lion team, the Buddha-receiving team set out on the return journey in a mighty manner. Every household in Yiwei Village brought the chicken, duck, fish, meat, and Yang Ganzhen's favorite fish salad to the temple to worship, thanking the emperor for his virtue and praying for the emperor's blessing to protect the happiness and well-being of the whole village. On the evening of the 12th day of the first lunar month, the groom of Qiwei also carried the Buddha sedan chair to the Wenchang Palace in Yiwei and "secretly received" the Guanyin ancestor to Qiwei. After breakfast on the 13th day of the first lunar month, the Qizhong Buddha-receiving team sang and danced again, singing and laughing all the way to the Wenchang Palace in Yiwei, and received the four Buddha statues of Emperor Zhao Shanzheng and his mother and Baojiang to the Qiwei Village Temple for worship, and Emperor Yang Ganzhen was received in the Wenchang Palace in Qizhong for worship. The Lianchi Association and the Sacred Edict Altar in Qizhong held candles and burned incense according to Buddhist rules and etiquette, prayed devoutly, and chanted scriptures to thank the emperor. On the 14th day of the first lunar month, the Buddha-receiving team from Qizhong came to the Qiwei Temple again and took the four Buddha statues of Emperor Zhao Shanzheng, his mother, and Baojiang back to the Wenwu Temple in Qizhong for worship. During the five-day Emperor's Festival in Qicun Bazi, friends from all over the world gathered in Qicun and enjoyed the ancient traditional festival with the people of Qicun. Every day there were unique performances and exciting scenes, which made people imagine constantly. But the most lively, spectacular and grand day was the day when the Emperor returned to the court on the 15th day of the first lunar month. On the morning of the 15th day of the first lunar month, men, women and children in Qitou Village were busy with various preparations for receiving the Buddha. Everyone dressed in traditional festival costumes and gathered early in the square of Qitou God of Wealth Temple to welcome the Emperor back to the altar. After all the Buddha-receiving teams arrived, various Buddha-receiving ceremonies were carried out in order. After eating the "Lantern Festival" breakfast, the dragon-playing team in Qitou came to the Wenchang Palace in Yiwei. They first took the two "Saint Mothers" to the Qitou God of Wealth Temple and sat them down, and then went home to have breakfast. The most complicated and grand ceremony was the "receiving the Son of Heaven" ceremony at noon. After breakfast, everyone in the Buddha-receiving team gathered in the Qitou God of Wealth Temple with joy and good wishes, ready to go to Qizhong to welcome the Son of Heaven back to the court. After everything was ready, the Buddha-receiving team officially set off in order. First, the herald rode on the famous horse of Dali, carrying the yellow "Ling" colorful flag, and went to the Emperor's Palace in Qizhong with the two messengers in a majestic and awe-inspiring manner. After getting off the horse, they climbed up the stairs to the main hall of the Wenwu Temple, and after bowing and worshiping, they reported to the Guanyin Patriarch and the Emperor: "The Emperor's return to the court will shake the earth and mountains. Roads will be built when there are mountains and bridges will be built when there are rivers. I am not the true Son of Heaven, so I will do it for me." Next came a group of children with "ghost faces" painted on them. They held each other's hands and walked across the road. They were called "Guardians" by the people, and their purpose was to protect the order of the Buddha-receiving team. At this time, any common people could only walk to the side. Next came the ancient costume honor guard: holding high the colorful flags, dragon and tiger lists, and vases. There were three large yellow flags in the colorful flag team, one of which was painted with a "round double dragon" picture, one of which was written with Zhao Shanzheng's country name "Datianxingguo Huikang Emperor", and one of which was written with Yang Ganzhen's country name "Dayi Ningguo Sugong Emperor". Several large flags fluttered in the wind, which was particularly eye-catching. The two dragon and tiger lists were written with "avoid" and "silence", showing the power of the emperor. On one side of the vase was written "Peace and Peace for the Country and the People", and on the other side was written "Years of Harvest and Longevity", which was intended to pray for the blessings of the Buddha, the emperor, and the gods, and to protect the people of the village from disasters and happiness. Next came the ancient costume performance team. First was the disguised four saints of Journey to the West. Legend has it that Tang Monk, Sun Wukong, Sha Monk, and Zhu Bajie, the four disciples, passed through Qi Village when they went to the West to seek Buddhist scriptures; followed by historical figures dressed as fisherman (Jiang Taigong), woodcutter (Wu Ji), farmer (Emperor Dashun), and student (Yang Zhen) to interpret farming culture. Finally, there are "Zhao Kuangyin sent his daughter to Beijing a thousand miles away" (playing with horses, cranes, and clams), "Zhang Guolao riding a donkey upside down", and "King Wen of Zhou visiting the wise". The characters disguised as Zhang Guolao, Zhao Kuangyin, and Yang Zhen symbolize the glorious history of the three great surnames of Zhang, Zhao, and Yang in Qitou Village. The Buddha-receiving team is like waves in the sea, one after another. Following closely are the dragon and lion performance teams. They are Qitou Qinglong Team, Yiwei Black Dragon Team, Qizhong Black Dragon Team, Heijiayi Qinglong Team, and Dongzhuang Qinglong Team. The girls in the dragon and lion dance teams of each village all wore their favorite Bai ethnic costumes, put on heavy makeup, and looked radiant. They stepped on the beats and stepped in four directions rhythmically to the beautiful music, just like swallows spreading their wings and ready to fly. The boys and boys were full of energy. Accompanied by the sound of gongs, drums and suona, the dragon and lion dance teams followed one another. Under the guidance of the dragon ball guide, they leaped and rolled into the air like "lions and tigers", sometimes flying straight into the sky, sometimes bravely moving forward, showing the unique dragon-playing skills of Qi Village to the extreme. The most touching people in the Buddha-receiving team were the old men of the Dongjingtan and the old ladies of the Lianchi Society. The old ladies of the Lotus Pond Association wore ancient Bai costumes, with Buddhist beads hanging around their necks, wooden fishes knocking in their hands, and embroidered incense bags on their backs; the old men of the Dongjing Altar wore Bai dresses, holding a pair of red incense sticks in their hands, some played ancient music, and some sang the Dongjing tunes. Hundreds of people consciously lined up in four rows, and the team was more than 1,000 meters long. Many of them were over 60 years old (the old altar master Zhao Xuyin was 93 years old, and more than 240 people were over 80 years old), but their piety and faith made them energetic and rejuvenated. This is the spiritual power deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The old men of the Lotus Pond Association and the Holy Edict Altar played and sang all the way, chanting: "Human beings are the spirits of all things, and spirits are moved by all things. The human heart is sincere, and it is moved by things." Then they chanted: "Look at the Buddha from a distance, look at the Buddha from close, the Buddha among the Buddhas, Amitabha" and so on. The sound of beating the gongs and chanting the scriptures continued one after another. The several-mile-long Buddha-receiving team and the audience followed closely, and people and gods rejoiced together. There was a golden "all-people umbrella" leading the way in front of the dragon cart and the sedan chair. On the cart stood the newly married groom who was holding the statue of Buddha. The young men pushed and pulled the sedan chair on the bluestone alley, making a creaking sound. They carried the sedan chair and shouted to each other all the way to the Emperor's Palace in the direction of Qizhong. Led by the pioneer officer and the god of wealth, the team of welcoming the Buddha came to the Emperor's Palace (Wenwu Temple in Qizhong) with laughter and singing and dancing. After arriving at the palace, the men, women, old and young who participated in the welcoming of the Buddha paid respects to the Guanyin Patriarch and the nobles in turn. After the ceremony, firecrackers rang, drums and music were loud, and the teams of welcoming the Buddha from each village started various carnival performances together. Dragon and lion dances, cranes flipping clams, folk songs soaring into the sky, the king whip flying, silk fans fluttering, the Wenwu Temple Square became a sea of people and flowers. At this time, three cannon shots were heard, indicating that the auspicious time had arrived. The herald officer loudly issued the order to "return to the palace". The vanguard officer, with two messengers, rode the famous red rabbit horse of Dali, and rushed out of the palace square in a heroic manner to return to the Tianzi Temple to report the news. At this time, a group of brave young men rushed into the hall, scrambling to carry the Guanyin Patriarch and the five nobles into the dragon carriage and the Buddha sedan chair according to their seats. Whoever grabbed the Buddha statue first ("抢佛" means "抢福", which means to ask for children and grandchildren) means that he has grabbed "福" and asked for children and grandchildren, which encourages them to do so every year and strive to be the first. At this time, all the elders faced the Buddha carriage and the Buddha sedan chair and chanted in unison: "The Buddha has gone to the Western Heaven, the sisters of Randeng went to the gate of heaven, and the king Buddha said sincerely: one, two, three, four, six sedan chairs are going, and the sedan chair is opened by the master Buddha." The Buddha-receiving team swept the wave of carnival, singing and performing songs and dances all the way back. At this time, men, women, old and young in the village of Qitou, Yiwei, had already been waiting on both sides. The alleys were crowded with people. Every household placed incense tables and offerings at the gate and set off firecrackers to welcome Guanyin Patriarch, the Emperor and all the gods back to the altar. After Guanyin Patriarch, the Emperor and all the gods sat down in the hall, dragon and lion dance performances set off a new wave of enthusiasm. After the Buddha's return ceremony ended and the performance teams dispersed one after another, the Dongjing Club began to play, and the Lianchi Club began to worship the scriptures, chanting together: "The sky surrounds the umbrella, the sky surrounds the umbrella, the image of Buddha appears, see the Buddha, see the Buddha from afar, see the Buddha, the three holy Buddhas, the Buddha among Buddhas, Sakyamuni Buddha". Then, every household held the offerings and went to the temple to burn incense and offer respectfully. The peaceful Qi Village, immersed in the wave of carnival, gradually restored its tranquility. The Emperor's Festival in Qi Village presents the scene of "prosperous singing and dancing to welcome the Buddha, and a myriad of colors to celebrate the prosperous times" every year.