Xiansheng: Passing Down the Tradition (2014) watch online HD

Xiansheng is a group of local priests, who perform funerary ceremonies in southwestern China. This practice was previously condemned as superstitious and were thus strictly forbidden during... See full summary

Xiansheng is a group of local priests, who perform funerary ceremonies in southwestern China. This practice was previously condemned as superstitious and were thus strictly forbidden during the Cultural Revolution. Mr. Tian Yongdi first learned to practice Xiansheng at the age of 16. He has not only witnessed the survival of the tradition through different historical periods, but also involved in its eradication and revitalization himself. His life story interweaves with the fluctuation of the religious practice as well as the history of contemporary China. Engaging in chant learning from Mr. Tian, the director tried to uncover how the tradition survived radical political campaigns, how it is passed down through generations and what kind of future is ahead for the newly revived practice.