The Fabulous Dan ba
CHENG WEIJIN

THE melodious "Love Song of Kangding" has made numerous people eager for a look at the mountains and towns of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Located cast of the Tibetan Plateau in western Sichuan, Danba County with its green mountains and waters, birds and flowers, is the most brilliant pearl of Ganzi. The Tibetan-style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards. Painted in eye-catching white and red, the dwellings can be seen from far away.
The Danba men are strong and the women are pretty. They farm at sunrise and rest at sunset. With sufficient grain in the barn and plenty of meat, they lead a serene and idyllic life.
Colorful Costume: The dress of the Danba women, made from woolen cloth, is typical of Tibetan culture. The front, cuffs and collars of their garments are bordered with otter or leopard leather. The neckband and cuffs are edged with golden thread. They have festival costumes and casual dress the vary by season and occasion.
Danba finery consists of a long garment with a cape, a pleated skirt and long boots. Silver decorations and bells hang from both sides of the waist.
When the women walk, the bells give out crisp jingles. The younger women also wear headscarves embroidered in floral designs with colored threads and a tassel on each corner. They braid their hair and their silver headbands are inlaid with coral and turquoise. Older women wear headscarves without embroidery. In addition, the Danba women like to wear neck laces, earrings, bracelet and rings. The necklaces tend to be made of stones like turquoise, the bracelets from ivory or silver; rings and earrings are silver, inlaid with jewels.
For casual dress, the head and hand adornments are the same. The girls wear pink long-sleeve shirts and the women wear white. The skirt is composed of front and back panels. The young women also wear embroidered belts. In their leather shoes, they look very jaunty.
Guozhuang Dance: Danba is the sea of songs and the home of dance. From the time Danba children learn how to walk, they know how to dance; when the babies begin to babble, they are already singing. The gem of the Danba culture is the Guozhuang, a dance where men and women stand in a curve and dance along the curve, first slow and then fast. It is an occasion for men and women to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere.
Unique Courting: In Zhonglu and Suopo towns of Danba County, the traditional custom of proposing marriage is still practiced. On moonlit nights, Tibetan young men form a group of three to five, drape woolen shirts over their shoulders and go to their beloved's home to sing to her. Sometimes, several young women will come to special place and wait for the young men. The boys cover their faces with woolen shirts and find a place to hide. They sing songs in different voices to their sweethearts. The girls respond, also in song. They sing from the snow mountains to the grassland, from emerald to red coral, from moonrise to moonset, until the young man and his beloved sit together.
If the Danba girl is not satisfied with the singer, she will throw water or dust at him, which he can dodge with his woolen shirt. If she is attracted to him, however, she will whisper words of love to him under the woolen shirt. It may even result in an engagement.
Say farewell to the concrete forest of the big city and visit Danba, where you will find your true self.

Translated by FAN YI