Dear Prof. Pamela Crossley and others:

The custom in North China mentioned by Prof. David Holm is called She-Huo
(means Community Fire）. She-Huo originated in the worship of earth and fire.
It is an ancient cultural heritage of Han, not Mongoloid. She-Huo is always
performed in Yuanxiao Festival (Jan 15th in the traditional Chinese
calendar) and other local solemn assembly. According to *Sushi Yanyi* (the
novel in Tang Dynasty), She-Huo performance in Shanxi Province appeared in
Pre－Qin Period. It was flourishing in Song Dynasty. In Ming and Qing period,
She-Huo was rich in content, and added some imitation performances, just
like ghosts, animals and personages.

As Prof. David Holm said, the She-Huo had disappeared in Yulin County of
Shenxi Province, but we can still see it in Dongyang Town of Yuci City,
Shanxi Province today. She-Huo here divides into two parts: the main part in
the past is the propping up the fire; another part is display fire. Propping
up the fire is only open to the villagers. The fire shelf is desks piled one
above another and the amount of desks is always twelve(means 12 months a
year). In addition，She-Huo also includes putting on a display of fireworks.


-- 
best
Sincerely

Niu Guanjie