Tujia people

The Tujia people are one of the largest ethnic groups in the People's Republic of China. They live in the Wuling Mountains, which stretch across Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, and Chongqing.

Their name in Chinese, Tǔjiāzú, means "local families." This shows they have always lived in one place. This is different from the Hakka people, whose name means "guest families."

The Tujia have their own unique language. In Northern Tujia, they call themselves Bifjixkhar, and in Southern Tujia, Mongrzzir. Their own word for their people is Bizika, meaning "native dwellers."

History

The Tujia people may have a history that goes back more than twelve centuries. They might be linked to the ancient Ba people who lived around today’s Chongqing over 2,500 years ago. Records about the Tujia began to appear around the 14th century.

During the Ming dynasty, Tujia leaders were important to the emperor. They provided strong soldiers who helped keep peace and protect against invaders. Later, when the Qing dynasty began, the government made changes to have more control. This sometimes caused unrest among the Tujia people.

After the Qing dynasty ended, the Tujia faced difficult times with competing rulers and problems like banditry. When the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, many of these issues were addressed. The Tujia were officially recognized as one of China’s ethnic minorities in 1957. Today, one of China’s top officials, State Councillor Dai Bingguo, comes from the Tujia people.

Culture

The Tujia people are known for their singing and making songs. They have a special dance called the Baishou dance, which has been performed for over 500 years. The dance shows scenes from their old life, like farming and hunting. They also make beautiful patterned cloth called brocade, known as xilankapu.

During their spring festival, they make and eat special handmade glutinous rice cakes called ciba cake. People gather around a fire to sing folk songs and enjoy the cakes. They also have a big celebration called the hand-waving sacrifice (Chinese), which includes dancing and other traditions. It is their most important festival.

The Tujia people live in different places, so they have different ways of life. Those in lower areas eat rice and grow crops like wheat. They also keep animals and fish. The Tujia from mountain areas eat a mix of grains and keep animals too. They have a tradition of hunting. People from the high plateaus mainly eat buckwheat and raise sheep, but life there is harder because of cold weather and less water.

Language

Main article: Tujia language

The Tujia people speak a language called Tujia. It belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family. Tujia has some similarities to Nuosu, but the words are mostly different.

Today, only around 70,000 people still speak Tujia as their first language. Most of them live in a special area in northwestern Hunan Province called Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Most Tujia people now speak different kinds of Chinese, especially Southwestern Mandarin. Very few children grow up speaking only Tujia, because they usually learn Chinese when they are young. Even those who can speak Tujia often mix in many Chinese words and phrases.

Distribution

The Census of 2020 counted many Tujia people in China. Most live in four places: Hunan Province, Hubei Province, Guizhou Province, and Chongqing Municipality. These places are home to most Tujia people, with some also living in other parts of China.

Hunan Province has the most Tujia people, and they are one of the biggest groups there. Hubei Province has the second most, followed by Guizhou Province. Chongqing Municipality also has many Tujia people, and they are an important part of the population there.

Famous Tujia people

The Tujia people have done great work in many areas. Some well-known Tujia people are:

Qin Liangyu

He Long

Xiang Jingyu

Dai Bingguo

The Tujia people have fit well with Chinese culture and have had many talented people.

• Dai Bingguo, a diplomat in Wen Jiabao's group
• Lan Xiya, an actress
• Leo Li, an actress and singer
• Liao Guoxun, former mayor of Tianjin
• Ren Zhenhe, former governor of Gansu
• Shang Chunsong, an artistic gymnast and Olympic medalist
• Shen Mengchen, an actress
• He Long, a leader of the PRC
• Tian Tao, an Olympic weightlifter
• Zhou Xianwang, Mayor of Wuhan
• Zhang Ju, a musician
• Huang Yongyu, a painter
• Ron Monroe, a Chinese actress and singer in Japan
• Xiang Xuan, a leader in the People's Liberation Army
• Qin Haiyang, an athlete and Olympic medalist