A Symbolic Interpretation of the Lantian Yao 'Wu Huo Gou' Ritual from the Perspective of the Theory of Bodily Transition

The ultimate aim of any sub-discipline within anthropology is to study humanity, focusing on the transition from the natural to the social self. This article takes the 'Wu Huo Gou' rite of passage for Yao girls in Lantian, Longmen County, Guangdong, as its subject of study. Drawing upon rites of passage theory and the symbolic expression of ritual song and dance, it explores how Lantian Yao girls transform from a physical body (childhood) into a social body (adulthood, endowed with status, rights and obligations), and how the body expresses social relationships, identity and power. This not only demonstrates the significance of bodily transition but also embodies ancestor worship and animism, highlighting the influence of the Yao people's primitive religion, Han Taoism and the Confucian elements of traditional Chinese culture. It indicates that the 'Wu Huo Gou' ceremony and its associated dance are the result of interaction and exchange between the Yao and Han ethnic groups.