为何要在大西神山获取火种？神山，顾名思义，是彝族在此地为死去的先人招魂的地方。彝族崇拜祖先神灵，认为人故而灵魂不灭，先逝者乃祖先神灵，是庇护生者家庭平安、人畜兴旺、五谷丰登的希望所在。因而，家中有亡故者都要请呗玛诵经，意为将亡者灵魂送祖归宗。而叫魂山地势较高，是离神灵最近的地方，也是太阳日照最好的地方，彝家人自古非常敬畏崇拜。
    呗玛算过时间，今年取火仪式定在早上十一点，时辰已到，散开的人群纷纷向取火台聚拢。抬头看，太阳正当顶。呗玛开始祷念经文，其中一位叫龙祥旺的呗玛抓起一公一母两只鸡，杀死后，提起鸡围着石头转了一圈，让鸡血滴在石头上，意为杀鸡祭石，在场所有的人全都虔诚地跪下。这时，八位彝家人分别吹响了长号、唢呐，浑厚悠扬的乐声在山野间回响，为这个庄严的仪式增添了几分原始的风情。紧接着呗玛围着石头绕圈，不停地用彝文唱念着“取火经”，而彝族同胞们则在外围弹起三弦，姑娘们应和着呗玛唱词的乐调，绕着取火台，手拉手跳起“大彝乐”。
    一位彝家汉子在大石头的石槽里放进一些火草，拿着一根拴红绸的木棍，不停地转动，木棍与火草摩擦，加上阳光的炙晒，十多分钟后，石槽里冒出了缕缕青烟，周围的人不停地吹气，石槽里开始冒出火苗，乔开明用松香柴引出火种，然后点燃了早已准备好的三支火炬，火炬手紧接着点燃取火台旁边的三堆篝火。全场人齐声欢呼，围着火堆载歌载舞，以示取火成功。欢喜的气氛感染了在场所有的人。整个仪式持续了四十多分钟，呗玛一直都在念“取火经”。仪式结束后，在场的彝家人跪拜取火石，各家从火堆里取火种，要带回家中点燃家中的灶塘，保佑全家红红火火、生机勃勃。
    彝族先民在取火时都要祷念经文。在一些古籍中有零星记载：火种被洪水扑灭后，上天派一位星神下来，教给人间取火的方式。峨山彝文研究专家们通过对古籍的研究、走访各地呗玛，整理出现在的“取火经”。目前在云南彝族中如此完整的“取火经”绝无仅有，用彝文念诵，朗朗上口。“取火经”总计428行，内容从开天辟地、洪水泛滥、人类诞生开始，至民间农事耕种、婚丧嫁娶，可算是彝族的一部创世纪史诗。“取火经”的大意是：远古的时候，天地未分开，天地黑沉沉，天悬欲坠落。大地如此在，盘古分天地，日和月升起，星和云形成，昼和夜分开……我们来此地，来此取火种，枯木钻又钻，燃起火苗来。取到火种后，送到忍果(峨山)城，点燃此火把，心情喜洋洋。

大西神山获取火种 Making fire seeds in Daxi Divine Mountain

    为何要在大西神山获取火种？神山，顾名思义，是彝族在此地为死去的先人招魂的地方。Why do the Yi people make fire seeds in Daxi Divine Mountain? The Divine Mountain, as its name suggests, is the place where the Yi people expect to call back the spirits of their dead ancestors.  彝族崇拜祖先神灵，认为人故而不灵魂不灭，先逝者乃祖先神灵，是庇护生者家庭平安、人畜兴旺、五谷丰登的希望所在。The Yi people worship ancestors and spirits. They believe that the souls of dead people will never perish, and that the dead are their ancestors and spirits and where their hope for peaceful family, flourishing population and animals, and abundant harvest of all crops lies.   因而，家中有亡故者都要请呗玛（彝族有威望的长者）诵经，意为将亡者灵魂送祖归宗。Therefore, if a Yi folk dies, his or her family members will asks Bimos (prestigious senior people) to read aloud the scriptures to send the soul of the dead person to the ancestors.而叫魂山地势较高，是离神灵最近的地方，也是太阳日照最好的地方，彝家人自古非常敬畏崇拜。The terrain of Mount Jiao Hun (soul-calling) is very high. It is the place nearest to the spirits and receiving the most abundant sunshine. The Yi people have held the mount in awe since the ancient times.

    呗玛算过时间，今年取火仪式定在早上十一点，时辰已到，散开的人群纷纷向取火台聚拢。According to Bimos’ timing, this year’s fire-acquiring ceremony is set at 11 o’clock. It is already the time.The scattered crowds gather around the fire-acquiring altar in succession. 抬头看，太阳正当顶。 look up and find the sun is overhead. 呗玛开始念经文，其中一位叫龙祥旺的呗玛抓起一公一母两只鸡，杀死后，提着鸡围着石头转了一圈，让鸡血滴在石头上，意为杀鸡祭石，在场所有的人全都虔诚地跪下。  Bimos start reading aloud the scripture. A Bimo named Long Xiangwang snatches up a cock and a hen, kills them, carries them in his hands and walks around the stone, letting the blood drop on the stone, which means offering the killed chickens to the stone. All the people present kneel down piously.  这时，八位彝家人分别吹响了长号、唢呐，浑厚悠扬的乐声在山野间回响，为了这个庄严的仪式增添了几分原始的风情。At this moment, eight Yi folks blow the trombones and play the suona horns respectively. The sonorous and melodious music resounds in the mountains and plains and adds some primitive flavors to this solemn ceremony. 紧接着呗玛围着石头绕圈，不停地用彝文唱念着“取火经”，而彝族同胞们则爱外围弹起三弦，姑娘们应和着呗玛唱词的乐调，绕着取火台，手拉手跳起“大彝乐”。Immediately after that, Bimos start to rotate around the stone, reciting continuously the “scripture of making fire seeds” in the Yi language, while other Yi people in the outer circle start to play the sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument). Echoing Bimos' tune, girls start to perform the dance of “Da yi le” around the fire-acquiring altar.

     一位彝家汉子在大石头的石槽里放进一些火草，拿着一根栓红绸的木棍，不停地转动，木棍与火草摩擦，加上阳光的炙晒，十多分钟后，石槽里冒出了缕缕青烟，周围的人不停地吹气，石槽里开始冒出火苗，用松香柴引出火种，然后点燃了早已准备好的三支火炬，火炬手紧接着点燃取火台旁边的三堆篝火。A Yi folk puts some dry grass in the trough of the big stone, takes out a stick with a piece of red silk attached to it, rotates the stick continuously, and makes it rub with the grass under the broiling sun. Several minutes later, wisps of smoke curl out of the trough. People around the trough blow the kindling constantly, and shortly flames dart up in the trough. People get the fire seed with firewood coated with rosin and use it to ignite three ready-made torches, and then the torchers kindle three bonfires beside the fire-acquiring altar. 全场人齐声欢呼，围着火堆载歌载舞，以示取火成功。All the people present burst into acclamation, and sing and dance around the bonfires to demonstrate their success in making fire seed.  欢喜的气氛感染了在场所有的人。  The merry atmosphere infects all the people present. 整个仪式持续了四十多分钟，呗玛一直都在念“取火经”。 The ceremony lasts over 40 minutes, throughout which Bimos are reading loudly the “scripture of making fire seeds” unceasingly.  仪式结束后，在场的彝家人跪拜取火石，各家从火堆里取火种，要带回家中点燃家中的灶塘，保佑全家红红火火、生机勃勃。 After the ceremony is over, the Yi people present kneel down to get flint. Each household take a fire seed out of the bonfires and take it back to kindle their kitchen range, in the hope that it will bring prosperity and vital force to their family.

     彝族先民在取火时都要祷念经文。The ancestors of the Yi people read scriptures while making fire seeds.  在一些古籍中有零星记载：火种被洪水扑灭后，上天会派一位星神下来，教给人间取火的方式。It is recorded fragmentarily in some ancient books that after the fire seed was extinguished by a flood, the Heaven appointed an immortal to descend to the world and teach the mortals how to make fire.峨山彝文研究专家们通过对古籍的研究、走访各地呗玛，整理出现在的“取火经”。Through studying ancient books and visiting Bimos of different places, experts who have been studying the Eshan Yi language sorted out the current version of “scripture of making fire seeds”. 目前在云南彝族中如此完整的“取火经”绝无仅有，用彝文念诵，朗朗上口。Up to now, it is the most integral “scripture of making fire seeds” among the Yi people in Yunnan. The scripture is easy to read out in the Yi language.“取火经”总计428行，内容从开天辟地、洪水泛滥、人类诞生开始，至民间农事耕种、婚丧嫁取，可算是彝族的一部创世纪史诗。The “scripture of making fire seeds” consists of 428 lines altogether. With its content ranging from the creation of the world, the deluge, and the birth of mankind to the farming and important occasions in the mortal world, the scripture can be regarded as a genesis epic of the Yi people.“取火经”的大意是：远古的时候，天地未分开，天地黑沉沉，天悬欲坠落。The main content of the “scripture of making fire seeds” is as follows: in the ancient times, the Heaven and the Earth were a whole. Both the Heaven and the Earth were dark. The Heaven was suspending and apt to drop. 大地如此在，盘古分天地，日和月升起，星和云形成，昼和夜分开……我们来此地，来此取火种，枯木钻又钻，燃起火苗来。The Earth existed in this way. Pangu separated the Heaven and the Earth, and then the sun and the moon rose, and then stars and clouds were formed, and then night and day were separated... we came here to get fire seeds. We drilled the dry wood again and again until flames appeared. 取到火种后，送到忍果（峨山）城，点燃此火把，心情喜洋洋。We got the fire seed, sent it to Renguo (Eshan) and kindled the torch with joy in our heart.