Tujia Seasonal Customs in Zhangjiajie
On the morning of the first day of the first lunar month, they open the door and bow to the east in salute; returning, they kneel to elders, called "bainian." Those who pay New Year calls before the ninth day are considered close; after the ninth day it is called late New Year. Women welcome the Purple Maiden spirit at night, called "inviting the Seventh Girl." On the night of the fifteenth, they take branches and burn them outside the house, called "burning." Children shout loudly to drive away, called "chasing Mao Jiu." That night...
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
On the New Year festival, that is, on the morning of the first day of the first lunar month, people open the door and bow in salute toward the east to offer blessings; those who have returned home kneel and bow to their elders, which is called "New Year greetings." Those who pay New Year greetings before the ninth day are considered close and affectionate. After the ninth day it is called "late New Year." Women welcome the Purple Maiden Goddess at night, which is called "inviting the Seventh Girl."
On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, people take branches of the Chinese fir and burn them outside their homes, which is called "burning." Children shout loudly to drive things away, which is called "chasing Mao Jiu." That night, lanterns and decorations are hung, plays are performed, flower lanterns are played, dragon lanterns, lion lanterns, and clam-shell lanterns are danced, lasting all night, in both city and countryside alike—this is called "celebrating the Lantern Festival."
On the second day of the second lunar month, the birthday of the Earth God, a Earth God gathering is held.
On the fifteenth day of the second lunar month, the great Flower Morning festival, young girls have their ears pierced; many men and women are married at this time.
On the third day of the third lunar month, people eat mugwort cakes on this day, called the "Mugwort Festival." At Qingming, willow leaves are inserted on doors, called "Qingming Gate," taking it as an omen of the whole family's purity and good fortune for the year. Colored banners made of silk floss and five-colored paper are hung at the top of ancestral graves; clan relatives sweep the graves and make offerings to the deceased, called "inserting green" or "hanging green," meaning to remember loved ones.
The eighth day of the fourth lunar month is the "Bathing the Buddha Festival." On this day, farmers and all alike rest for a day; it is an ancient labor festival in the countryside.
On the first day of summer (Lixia), farming families drink wine and eat meat, which is called "adding strength" or "passing on strength."
During the Dragon Boat Festival, all nearby temples and monasteries would print and distribute images of Master Zhang, which had to be hung in the main hall by the festival. Children would have realgar painted on their foreheads to ward off "evil poisons." On this day people eat zongzi and drink calamus wine, and hang mugwort on their door lintels. In Yongding and in places like Jiuxi in Cili, people like to hold dragon boat races on the Lishui River and other waters. The Dragon Boat Festival has a major and minor division: the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the minor Dragon Boat Festival, and the fifteenth is the major Dragon Boat Festival.
On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the local people air their clothes, which is called "Qin Hou drying." Legend says this day is the death anniversary of Qin Hou Wang, a Tujia leader of the early Ming dynasty, and it is a major ethnic festival of the Tujia people.
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (Qixi), women knot colored silk and thread needles under the moon, and set out melons and fruit along the road to worship the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.
The middle of the seventh lunar month is the Zhongyuan Festival, which is called "passing the half-month."
At the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Tujia people do not customarily admire the moon; the Han Chinese call it "guarding the moon flower," while eating mooncakes is a custom shared by both Tujia and Han. The Tujia people have a distinctive way of celebrating Mid-Autumn: under the bright moonlight, they go to the winter melon patch to steal melons and "send children" to couples without offspring.
The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival.
On the first day of the tenth lunar month, people cut paper into the shape of clothes, prepare wine and food, and make offerings to ancestors; this is called "sending winter clothes."
On the sixteenth day of the tenth lunar month, custom calls it "Granny Cold Gathers Firewood." If it rains on this day, the firewood gathering is not completed, and the winter will surely be clear and warm; if it is sunny on this day, the firewood gathering is completed, and the winter will surely bring rain and snow. This is similar to sayings such as "If it is clear on the second day of the second lunar month, fruit trees will not bear; if it rains on the second day of the second lunar month, fruit trees will bear in clusters."
The nineteenth day of the eleventh lunar month is the birthday of the Sun God; every household rises at dawn to burn incense with the utmost reverence.
The Winter Solstice Festival is called the Ancestor Worship Festival by the Bai people.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, glutinous rice wine is brewed, called "Laba lees."
On the night of the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the local people worship the Stove God.
The twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month is called "celebrating the minor New Year."
The twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month is the Festival of Pounding New Year Rice Cakes.
On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the household gods are dusted and purified.
New Year's Eve is called "celebrating the New Year."