The Tujia Ethnic Minority is the 7nd Largest Ethnic Minority Group in China.
Tujia Ethnic Culture in China :
The Tujia Ethnic Minority is among the larger minority groups in China. The majority of them can be found living close-knit ethnic communities in Hunan Province and Hubei Province in Central China, although they are found in Chongqing City Province, Sichuan Province and North Guizhou Province as well.
In the year 2000 there were just over 8 million Ethnic Tujie living within the People Republic of China. Ever since their number has risen significantly.
Most Tujia live concentrated within the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Province of Hunan Province and the Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hubei Province.
The Tujia lifestyle is traditionally agricultural.
History of theTujia Ethnic Group in China :
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Festivals of the Tujia Ethnic Group :
Social Life and Customs :
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Diet / Food :
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The most important Tujia festival is the New Year, which always falls one day earlier on the lunar calendar than the New year celebrated by the majority Han People ('Chinese New Year').
The Festival of April the 8th is a festival celebrated by many ethnic groups in Guizhou Province among whom, the Miao People, the Boya People and the Tujia. The most spectacular way to celebrate this day is found among the Miao People of Guiyang and area, who for the occassion hold a mass gathering at the Fountain Square in the center of Guiyang City. According to legend, the festival commemorates fallen Miao Warrior heroes who are supposed to have been buried in grounds near the square centuries ago. From the earlier Miao festival has grown a mass gathering of ethnic groups which now also include the Tujia, Boya, Dong, Gelao, Shui, the Zhuang and others. Ethnic costumes abound, there is song and dance, acrobatics and martial arts, all accompanied by the traditional instruments of the ethnic peoples. These are mainly flutes and horns, some of which can be as long as 7 meters.
The Tujia have their own spoken language which has no written version. Today the Tujia language is only spoken fluently in a few places in China, most villages within Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Province, the Tujia Autonomous part of Hunan Province.
Due to the lack of a Tujia script and enduring contacts with the majority Han, all Tujia use Mandarin Chinese as their written language.
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Map includes Turkic Languages (Uygur, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Salar & Uzbek), Mongolian Language and Sub-Divisions (Mongol, Tu, Daur and Dongxian), Tungusic Peoples (Oroqen, Evenki and Xibe) and Languages, Korean, Tajik (Tadzhik), Mon-Khmer (Kawa + Puman (or Pulang)), Hui, Uygur (Uighur), Tibeto-Bhurman Languages, Tai and Miao, Yao and She' Language Area's and Borders. Main Area's and sub-divisions of Han Languages (Northern Mandarin, Eastern Mandarin, South-Western Mandarin and Cantonese) further included. This color-coded ethno-linguistic Map (of 1967 AD) identifies at a glance most ethnic minority regions in China
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ChongqingCity Province Map 1A - Geographic Map
A Geographic overview Map of Chongqing City Province entire delineating provincial borders and parts of neighboring Provinces. Map includes Cities and Towns (shown by size), Main Monuments & Landmarks of Chongqing City Province and the location of Miao and Tujia Ethnic Minority communities in Chongqing City Province.
Geographic overview of Guizhou Province. The Map includes border areas of neighboring provinces and regions. This Map Includes Main Cities and Towns (shown by size), Main Monuments & Landmarks of Guizhou Province, the location of many Minority Comunities, main rivers, lakes and waterways, Mountains (with Height), major highways, provincial railroads and main railroad-stations. This Map further provides links to on site photos and information on the Cities and Monuments.
Guizhou Province Map 1A - Geographic Map
The Tujia homes have their own destinct architectural styles. Tujia homes are wooden structures built on poles in order to protect them from the flash floods of the monsoon season, which are frequent in their native regions.
The Tujia traditional dress is made of brocade and features mainly bright red and blue colors. Colorful embroideries decorate the edges and lining of the garments. The Brocade produced by the Tujia is considered to be of the highest quality found in the world, hence the cloth is not only used by the Tujia themselves but has throughout history been traded to neighboring tribes and sometimes beyond.
The Tujia handicrafts include carvings, paper cuttings, paintings and wax printing. Some ofvhe Tujia wax prints are remarkable and famous.
The traditional Tujia religious beliefs are polytheistic. Apart from this they practice ancestor worship.
The most important Tujia festival is the New Year, which always falls one day earlier on the lunar calendar than the New year celbrated by the majority Han People ('Chinese New Year').
No information available at this Time.
The Tujia people traditionaly live an agricultural lifestyle.
Much of the traditional lifestyle of the Tujia has been sacrificed to modernity but the Tujia Culture remains strong within the ethnic enclaves of Hunan and Hubei Provinces. As elsewhere, the growing tourism industry provides an opportunity for the preservation of ethnic skills and products that might otherwise have been lost.
Traditionally the Tujia way of life includes lots of community song and dance. Among the main dances prserved today is the hand-waving dance, which is often performed for visitors and tourists. Among the Tujia Dances are two important dramas, the Maguosi and the Nuo. The Maguosi is a sacrificial drama performed by up to 15 or 16 Tujia dancers which are dressed up with leafs and straw to resemble ancient primitive people. The drama, full of song and dance, is a reminder of the close relation the Tujia have with their ancestors as well as the surrounding natural habitat.
