hi5 (small Sui new year's festival) tsjə1 ʔau4 hmai5 ("eat new rice" festival) Liuyueliu ("six month six day," or June 6, festival) si3 ming2 (Qingming) festival Duanwu sup8 hi5 The bronze drum is often played during festivals, and singing, dancing, slaughtering livestock for food, and giving thanks to family ancestors are typical of these festivals (Wei 2003:xxii). Religion The Sui are mainly polytheists and practice ancestor worship as well. Shamans were traditionally hired to carry out prayers and sacrifices in the houses of those that were sick or close to death. The Sui religion has more than 900 ghosts and gods that can cause both good fortune or misfortune (Wei 2003:xxii). Some deities and legendary figures are also borrowed from Chinese folk religion. The Sui people have a wide array of taboos and superstitions, such as (Wei 2003:xxiv-xxv): During the first thunderclap of the start of the spring season, the ground cannot be plowed for three days. Breaking this taboo would anger the thunder god, resulting in abnormal rain patterns. Oaths should not be said when seeds are being sown lest there is crop damage. The lusheng should not be played after the seeds are sowed during the beginning of spring, or else the seeds might be blown away later. On the first morning of the Duan festival as well as the preceding evening, meats of land animals cannot be eaten. Violating this taboo is seen as disrespect towards ancestors and will result in fewer descendants. Dogs should not be killed during festival days. On the first day of the Spring Festival, houses should not be cleaned, food should not be cooked, and hair may not be cut. Instead, New Year's Eve leftovers are eaten. During a wedding procession, bad luck may result for a couple if the procession chances upon a coffin (couple may die soon), bird crossing the road (couple may be ill soon), thunder (a sorcerer must be invited to drive out ghosts), or a pregnant woman (the bride will be infertile). Remarried widows cannot return to their former husbands' villages, and cannot visit their parents' homes for an entire year, or else her parents' village will not prosper. Pregnant women cannot bear children in their parents' villages, or else her parents' family and livestock will be harmed. After just having a child, if a woman visits another person's village or house, that person will fall ill.