Ritual Classification

            All of the previously mentioned Gansu rituals can be categorized as a certain type of ritual; all Gansu rituals provide insight to the cultural mores and general epistemologies of any society. The prayer rituals in Gansu society function as protective (or divination) rituals because although the first two prayers said every day are simply just a symbol of respect to the deities of our polytheistic culture, the last prayer of the day or tribute that is performed has the purpose of gaining protection against evil spirits that reside in our local mountains. Protective rituals often be a preventive measure against dangerous endeavors, and while there is often a sacrifice offered for a God, in Gansu culture people honor the God of the stream through spending fifteen minutes of silence in the water.

            The Gansu political ritual involving the inauguration of a new elder can be classified as an ideological ritual, or more specifically as a rite of intensification. The public inauguration and a public governing session enhance social unity through attempting to gain the trust of the whole society, and when the new elder speaks to the people, the ultimate goal must be that the society trusts him as a political leader and the fabric of society will not rip apart due to political disagreements. The prior rite of passage of feeding the preceding elder’s corpse to a panda additionally shows a sense of continuity with the past that is often evident in rites of intensification.

            The marriage anniversary ritual in Gansu culture is difficult to assess, however it can be classified as a therapy ritual, although the participants are not always necessarily in a severe state of illness. While couple may not in fact be physically ill, labor and child-rearing are stressful activities and the marriage anniversary ritual serves to let the couple relax, therefore bettering their mental health and most-likely alleviating any stresses or anxieties. The ritual also serves to allow the breaking of the Gansu post-partum sex taboo (or a taboo of sex for other purposes aside from procreation), for one day as much stress and anxiety stems from a lack of sex and unfulfilled desires. But because of the recent addition of prophylactics as anniversary gifts, Gansu couples can spend a day “tasting forbidden fruit”, so to speak.

            The Gansu economic ritual is an ideological ritual that seeks to reinforce social order and values. By accepting gifts from modern China and conversely planting trees wherever Gansu people may work, it reminds the Gansu people not only of their heritage and connections with nature but when Gansu people are away working as a part of China’s modern workforce, they are remembered through the many gifts received, lent out and borrowed back in the Gansu village. The planting of trees also seeks to ideally remind Gansu workers of their status within society so they may seek and aspire to a different specialization within society one day. Younger men and women will seasonally work in modern China, but often skills learned will translate to and be necessary for the operation of daily life in the Gansu village, and eventually many people do not leave after mid-life.