The reason why we call the yangko in Tashantun Village of Suizhong County a sacrificial yangko is because the performance forms of this batch of yangko at that time were all for the purpose of participating in activities.
At that time, there was a Niangniangding Temple one kilometer west of Shandong Village, Liutaizi Township, Xingcheng City. The temple was built on the top of the mountain. The structure is a big quadrilateral. The main hall, eight meters high, is the Three Xiao Huanghou Hall, with three statues of Xiao Huanghou, Joan Xiao Huanghou and Queen Bidang. The east and west halls are six meters high, and they are statues of the ten halls. The East Hall is Qi Henggong, Jin Wengong, Song Xianggong, Qin Mugong and Chu Zhuangwang; The West Hall is Yan Luowang, the king of treasures and the king of rollers. The walls of the three halls are all white stones, specially made bricks, and dragons and phoenixes are carved on their spines. The main entrance of the main hall is a brick building facing south, and the top of the hall is more than 20 small semi-circular bluestone slabs. In front of the memorial tablet is a square, where temple fairs are celebrated and stalls are set up to sell and do business.
Dongniangding Temple Fair is held on April 18 of the lunar calendar every year. It is the season with beautiful mountains and beautiful waters and pleasant spring breeze, and all places have a day off, so 30,000 to 50,000 people from Xingsui County flock to Niangniang Temple. Of course, there are also many outsiders inside and outside the customs to burn incense and do business. Of course, it's more about watching. People ride donkeys and sedan chairs; Some people bring all kinds of offerings, some people cross their heads and make wishes, some people kowtow for signing, some people practice acrobatics, some people sell needles, thread, children's toys, some people sell agricultural and sideline products, seafood, fish and shrimp, some people have sheds to open restaurants, tofu brains, fried cakes, big gluten cakes, fried dough sticks and so on.
On the day of the temple fair, 48 clubs in Xingsui County (namely believers and promoters) will be present to celebrate the festival in various forms. Among them, there are six or seven groups of yangko, such as Tashantun, Yedatun, Ant Tun, Dongxinzhuang and Haiquanzhai. These groups of yangko are performed in chronological order and last for one day. At that time, there was a jingle: Yangko in Haiquan Village and Drum in Dongxinzhuang were the most difficult to get right. It can be seen that each has its own advantages and characteristics. Performances compete with each other, each showing his unique skills, blowing suona, spitting fire and water, knocking cymbals, beating drums and turning flowers, and applause and shouts come and go.
The so-called "Tashan Festival" is because there are many people offering sacrifices to yangko in Tashantun, and the project is good, so this group of yangko is very famous in Fiona Fang, so their performances are always the finale. Nevertheless, in order to watch more time, many people stopped the "master" of the Yangko team and accused them of doing evil. The people who burned incense and made wishes put red cloth on the queen's shelf, but they tried to delay the time and prevent this group of yangko from performing smoothly. Many people waited all day just to watch this group of yangko.
Just after noon, the Tashantun Sacrifice Yangko Team, a huge team of more than 200 people, came to the foot of Niangniangmiao Mountain and began to enter the venue in a roundabout way.
The whole yangko team is basically divided into two teams. Walking in front are two fire attackers (that is, firecrackers). Then there are two gong players, holding a big gong with a diameter of 2.4 feet to clear the way. Followed by a flag tour consisting of 32 colorful flags, followed by Qinglong Flag, Hei Hu Flag, Ming Flag, Spike Flag and blue, purple, white, red and black colorful flags marching in two teams. The last four played drums (snare drum Jr., Jr., Jr.) and eight played cymbals. Then there is the pole lifting, also known as the shooting range. There are two people carrying a crossbar in front, which is along a long pole. Mr. Seven Needles Magistrate sits firmly on the club head, and one person behind him holds the shooting pole to help dance. There are two officials on each side. Then two lions embroidered balls, and four people danced two big lions respectively, under the guidance of a lion tamer with an embroidered ball. Followed by a group of drum bands, two suona, a back drum, two big cymbals, a cymbal and a cymbal. Followed by the big shelf (also known as the pavilion), the shelf is four meters high, carried by eight people, one person dances pole dancing, and two children perform "stealing fairy grass" on the top of the pole. Followed by the back pole (also known as the back pavilion), three people carry the pole, and three children perform "flowers as media" on the pole. Behind the back pole is a group of drum bands, and there are two suona, a back drum, a cymbal and a cymbal. Then there are two, six meters high, also carried by eight people, a dance pole, and three children performing "borrowing a banana fan" on the pole. Then press it. Four people carry a horizontal bar with a long pole on it. Sitting at the head of the long pole is an ugly official, walking around the end of the pole alone, dancing and putting on a show. Then it was three or four meters high, with eight people carrying it, one dancing pole, and two children performing "The West Chamber" in pole dancing. The cushions at the bottom of the three stands are all two meters square, carved by carpenters, and the round rod in the middle runs freely for acting. Behind the third race is the yangko team, dressed as sons, pulling flowers, rowing boats, running donkeys, carts, big heads, traveling to the west, white snakes, going to the grave, making trouble in the sea, sawing crocks, cutting Dou E, and pig Bajie's daughter-in-law. There are about 80 people. Followed by a group of drum bands, three suona, a two-person drum and a cymbal. Then there is the Empress' Frame, which is carried by four people (this frame is made of straw colored paper and has a beautiful and unique shape, which was burned after the temple fair), and two people are holding hands to accompany the two sides. Behind the empress frame is a suona playing alone. Finally, a big flag looks like Zhong Kui. The two men took turns standing on their shoulders. The flagpole is six meters high, and three people hold the flag in a triangle. Four big gold characters of "Public Security Festival" are embroidered on the square red flag with white teeth.