Ringing to raise spirits
This ceremonial bell is used by the bimo, or  priest,  during rituals to raise the spirits or to suppress devils.

In the ancestor worship ceremony or the soul sending ceremony, the bimo rings the bell to raise the spirits in the other world to increase his power, come to enjoy the offering food, or to welcome the souls of the deceased.

In ancient priests' books, it is written that "the bimo beats the skin drum in this world, there is a sound of thunder in the world of the spirits. The bimo rings the bell in this world, there is a sound of clanging in the world of the spirits".

Description:
Bell is cast, has a ring at top and a single clapper inside. Bell is decorated with raised design showing a bird in flight and a dragon with snake.  A leather string is attached to on the top. The eagle design on the bell is cut out in relief by the Nuosu priest himself.

See:
"Mountain Patterns" By Stevan Harrell, Bamo Qubumo and Ma Erzi. 2000. Fig 7.4 pg 53. 

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Arrows to repel ghosts
The vytu, or spirit quiver,  is made of two lengths of hollowed-out cedar wood about 5 cm. thick and 13 cm. long from top to bottom, put together in the form of a needle case.  The front section is called the male cedar, the back section the female cedar. The top end looks looks like a bear's snout with the mouth open.  The size of the snout must fit with the mouth of the bimo using it: if it is bigger than the owner's mouth, then it might overpower him; if it is smaller, then he will not be able to use his magical powers to their full extent.

The vytu is lacquered all over on the outside, and wrapped in gold, copper, or woolen thread.  There is  a small iron ring attached near each end, to which is attached a cooper wire or other cord for the bimo to wear over his shoulder.  Inside the tube are placed lovy or malovy, thin strips made of bamboo, divided into two kinds: male and female: those whose top end is carved into a "Y" shape are called famale, and those cut off on a diagonal at the top end are called male. 

When casting spells against ghosts, a bimo first reads the text of the origin of the lovy, and then chants the name of the object of the spell, while rubbing the lovy together in his hands, telling the ghosts to turn around and go another direction, in to the ghost town designated by the bimo.

See:
"Mountain Patterns" By Stevan Harrell, Bamo Qubumo and Ma Erzi. 2000. Fig 7.4 pg 53.

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Calling back the souls of the living

This  oval-shaped fan has a handle made from a single piece of cherry wood, in the shape of a crawling snake, with carvings of tigers, frogs, otters, or other animals.  These animals carry a dual symbolism.  On the one hand, images of eagles, representing the sky; tigers and wolves, representing the land; and otters or frogs, representing the water, show that the spiritual power of the bimo can overcome any obstacles of the earth, water, and sky.  On the other hand, it shows that the spirits of these animals can perform the function of suppressing evil and fighting malevolence. 

Bamboo fans like this one are used in funeral rituals when calling the souls of the relatives or family members of the deceased (to make sure they stay here on earth) or renewing the souls of the five grains.  While chanting the ritual text, the bimo uses the qike to continually fan grains of rice or corn in the direction of the the household members, the more the better.

There are also spirit fans beaten out of copper, which  are used only for rituals exorcising leprosy ghosts.

"Mountain Patterns" By Stevan Harrell, Bamo Qubumo and Ma Erzi. 2000. Fig 7.4 pg 53.

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A sign of status

It is said that the bimo's hat (hlevo or kuhlevo) was originally made of copper, but now they are conventionally made of an ordinary conical bamboo hat, covered with a layer of woolen felt.  Wealthy bimo sew gold and silver plates in a variety of designs on top of the felt.  The hlevo is the emblem of bimo status: he has but to wear or even carry this hat, and wherever he goes people, whether they know him or not, will know that he is a bimo, and they could approach him, if desired, to perform rituals for them.  In addition, he always wears the hat when he is actually performing a ritual.

See:
"Mountain Patterns" By Stevan Harrell, Bamo Qubumo and Ma Erzi. 2000. Fig 5.10, p. 42.

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