Xiangxi of Hunan The Spirit of the Tujia Ethnic Group

This is a website about the Tujia people of Hunan, featuring Tujia folklore, local cuisine and more. To help people gain deeper insight into this ancient ethnic group.

EXPLORE HERITAGE

TUJIA HERITAGE

This is a website about the Tujia people of Hunan, featuring Tujia folklore, local cuisine and more. To help people gain deeper insight into this ancient ethnic group.

EXPLORE HERITAGE
FOLKLORE
FOLKLORE Traditions of the Tujia
TRAVEL
TRAVEL Journey Through Xiangxi
FOOD
FOOD Tujia Local Delicacies

TRADITIONAL FOLK LIFE

Traditional Folk Life 1 Traditional Folk Life 2 Traditional Folk Life 3 Traditional Folk Life 4
3

THREE
GREAT
CULTURAL
TREASURES

START JOURNEY
Xilankapu Brocade

XILANKAPU ·
TUJIA
BROCADE

01

"The Tujia History
Woven in Threads"

Xilankapu is a representative handicraft of the Tujia people, meaning "flower-patterned bedcover". It absorbs the essence of ancient Tujia culture, and its patterns are mostly inspired by nature and daily life. Its weaving technique is mature, with bright colours blended with deep tones, and it is a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

BAISHOU DANCE · ANCIENT RITUAL DANCE

02

"A Life-affirming Carnival
in the Mountains"

Baishou Dance is a collective dance of the Tujia people to honour ancestors and recount history. Its activities are mostly related to ancient sacrificial rituals. Bold and unconstrained, it brings the primitive beauty of the Tujia people to the world, showcasing the great cohesion and spiritual cohesion of the Tujia community.

Baishou Dance
Diaojiaolou FENGHUANG VILLAGE
HUNAN

DIAOJIAOLOU ·
MOUNTAIN-DWELLING
ARCHITECTURE

03

"The Tujia's Deep-Rooted
Wisdom of Survival"

Traditional Tujia Diaojiaolou houses are built on steep mountain slopes to avoid dangers and wild animals. The wood structure is connected with tenons and mortises, without a single iron nail. It perfectly integrates the building with the rugged land and mountains, embodying the Tujia people's traditional architectural techniques and survival wisdom.

SEASONAL FESTIVALS AND
SPIRITUAL WORSHIP

THE TUJIA PEOPLE LIVE AMONG MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS, REVERING HEAVEN, EARTH AND DEITIES. EVERY FESTIVAL IN THE SEASONAL CALENDAR IS A SINCERE TRIBUTE AND GRATITUDE FOR THE GIFTS BESTOWED BY THE MOUNTAINS.

Tujia Sheba Festival

It is a grand comprehensive event featuring Baishou Dance, Tujia folk songs and Tima sacred chants. It serves as the most sacred ritual for the Tujia people to worship ancestors, celebrate and communicate.

The 8th Day of the 4th Lunar Month - Ox King Festival

Also known as the "Ox-Worshipping Festival". On this day, every family feeds their farm cattle special black glutinous rice and lets the ox rest, to express sincere gratitude and respect for this farming partner.

Gathering Shared meal

SONGS
OF THE VALLEY

Mountain Echoes in the Gorges

The Tujia people are gifted in singing and dancing, and folk songs are everywhere. Whether it is the touching bride's Ku Jia Ge (Wedding-Crying Song),

or the passionate Hao Cao Luo Gu (Weeding Gong-Drum) that guides farm work, mountain songs serve as a simple medium for them to express life's joys and sorrows and place their faith.

Songs of the Valley

04  ——  MOUNTAIN CUISINE

大山深处的风味馈赠

湘西土家腊肉
土家美食

湘西土家腊肉

烟熏腊肉,色泽红亮,是土家人节庆待客的珍馐。

手工糍粑
土家美食

手工糍粑

糯米蒸熟捣制而成,可烤可煎,香甜软糯。

糯米酸鱼
土家美食

糯米酸鱼

鱼肉腌制后与糯米同蒸,酸香开胃,风味独特。

合渣
土家美食

合渣

黄豆磨浆连渣煮制,清淡养人,是土家日常菜肴。