Heritage
Ke Dao narrative poetry
(chinaculture.org)
Updated: 2006-11-21 14:51
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Year: 2006
Sort: Folk Literature
Area: Guizhou
Serial No.: Ⅰ-5
Declarer: Shibin county, Guizhou province
Ke Dao, a poem about Miao ethnic people's marriage rites and a record of their history, is also called Ke Mu, which translates to 'wood engraving' in Chinese or the Miao Marriage Song.
Since ancient Miao people had no written language, they made deals by carving lines on a piece of wood or bamboo. Miao people also used this method to confirm marriage.
Among all the ancient songs of the Miao, Ke Dao is the longest and most popular toasting song, consisting of more than 10,000 lines. It has a distinctly Miao style. All the descriptions about the environment, the language, action and mentality of the characters are vivid and lively.
Ke Dao appeared after the shift from a matriarchal to patriarchal society where the community power lay with the brothers of the mother. Ke Dao depicted the marriage state of the Miao people during such a social transition and is therefore named as the living fossil of the oldest form of marriage of Miao. It is of great importance in the study of Miao history.
