The 2024 Tujia Sheba Festival was held at the Tusi Campsite Resort in Yongshun County of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture on the evening of November 7. Nearly a thousand tourists participating in the 3rd Xiangxi Tourism Development Conference attended it to experience the charm of the Tujia customs on the site.
The Tujia Sheba Festival is a long-standing and unique ethnic festival held to commemorate ancestors, celebrate harvest and pray for blessings. It showcases the profound ethnic history and rich customs of the Tujia people, and has become a comprehensive carrier for the inheritance of Tujia intangible cultural heritage.
The ancient Tima sacrificial ceremony was performed. “Tima” refers to people who respect the gods and are considered as communicators between humans and gods.
Tima, wearing a crown, a red robe, and an eight-gore skirt, with Babao copper bells and a sword in hand, danced and sang Tima songs to pray for good fortune, good weather, and abundant harvests for the Tujia people.
Tujia people are warm and hospitable. Whenever a guest comes to their door, they will offer homemade wine to welcome them, expressing their sincerity. At the kind invitation of the Tujia people, the guests drank up sweet rice wine and felt extremely satisfied.
The Tujia “Crying Marriage Song” was staged, interweaving sadness and joy, making many tourists’ eyes welling up with tears. In fact, crying at wedding is a way by custom to set off the happiness of the wedding via falsely sorrowful words.
Hand-waving dance is a grand cultural activity of the Tujia ethnic group, with a long history and unique ethnic styles.
At the end of the event, people of all ages performed the hand-waving dance together. These dance movements evolved from farming, fishing, and hunting, and conveyed the love of the Tujia people for life.
Chinese source: hunantoday
