Fulfilling the Nuo Vow
The Tujia people practice "fulfilling the Nuo vow," worshipping the Nuo deities. The purpose is to beseech the Nuo gods to bestow children and wealth, protect the family's peace, and bring prosperity. But the Nuo gods are not invited casually—a Tima priest must be called to perform the "fulfilling the Nuo vow" ritual. This means making vows to the Nuo Father and Nuo Mother. The ritual generally involves sacrificial ceremonies.
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 Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated.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.
Redeeming the Nuo Vow
The Tujia people practice "redeeming the Nuo vow" and worship the Nuo deities. Its purpose is to pray that the Nuo deities manifest their power to send children and wealth, bless the family with peace, and make the household prosper and the people thrive. But the Nuo deities are not invited casually; one must ask the Tima to perform the "redeeming the Nuo vow" ritual. So-called "redeeming the Nuo vow" means making a vow to the Nuo Father and Nuo Mother. Redeeming the Nuo vow generally requires holding a sacrificial ceremony and singing Nuo vow opera. When singing Nuo opera, one must wear Nuo masks. The Nuo opera scripts differ from place to place, but the story of Meng Jiangnu must be sung, such as "Jiangnu Descends to the Pond," "Jiangnu Dries Clothes," and the like. There are also thrilling and bizarre Nuo feats performed, such as climbing a ladder of knives and walking through a sea of fire, treading on red-hot plowshares, rolling on a bed of thorns, and so on. Nuo opera has complete storylines and melodies, and later even developed into a theatrical genre. When performing the carrying of the dry dragon boat among the people, the statues of the Nuo Father and Nuo Mother are enshrined in the boat.
Regarding "redeeming the Nuo vow," there is a folk myth: It is said that at the creation of heaven and earth, mankind suffered an extraordinary drought (or great fire). The Jade Emperor, knowing of the disaster in the human world, ordered the Rain Goddess to send rain to save the living beings of the world. The Rain Goddess, holding a slender willow branch, dipped it into a golden vase of heavenly water and sprinkled it finely over the human world. Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Sun, not knowing the situation, thought that when the heavenly water was being sprinkled above, the human world was already receiving torrential rain, and he thought the Rain Goddess was sprinkling too little to save the world from its suffering, so he struck the golden vase over with his golden cudgel. Now this was a fine mess—a great disaster! All the heavenly water poured down to the lower realm, and the flood in the mortal world rose level with the sky, drowning all of mankind. Only the Nuo Father and Nuo Mother hid inside a yellow wooden tub and drifted with the water. After the flood receded, only the brother and sister Nuo Father and Nuo Mother remained of mankind. The Queen Mother of the West, to recreate the human world, ordered the brother and sister Nuo Father and Nuo Mother to marry. The Nuo Father knew that brother and sister marrying violated moral principles and repeatedly declined; in the end, though he complied with heaven's will, he still felt ashamed and blushed, and the Nuo Mother also felt embarrassed and covered her face with a handkerchief. It is said that when Tujia people marry today, the bride covers her face with a red cloth, and this is where that practice originated. The later notion of marriage as a "match made in heaven" also stems from this. This myth is consistent with the "creation of heaven and earth" legends of the various counties of northwestern Hunan. The Nuo Father and Nuo Mother married and created humanity—this is one of the oldest explanations of human origins. In reality, this was a sacrificial ritual of the Tujia people to commemorate the southern barbarian ancestors Fuxi and Nüwa at the time when they retreated from exogamy to endogamy in ancient times. When redeeming the Nuo vow and sending off the deities to seek good fortune, it is auspicious for the Nuo Mother to leave last; if the Nuo Mother leaves first and the Nuo Father is behind, it is considered very inauspicious—meaning the Nuo Father has drunk too much wine and cannot manage affairs, and the Nuo Mother should handle everything concerning the vow-maker's affairs from beginning to end. In fact, this also reflects that among the Tujia people in the ancient Shaohao era of matrilineal clans, maternal authority was still very great. Of the Tujia people's "redeeming the Nuo vow" scene, a Bamboo Branch Ci writes:
With crimson turban wrapped around the head, driving out the great Nuo,
Ten thousand bright lamps encircle the mountains and rivers.
The green memorial text should match the occasion,
Who can bring back the soul of Qu Yuan to rewrite the Nine Songs?
Another Bamboo Branch Ci also describes the carrying of the dry dragon boat:
The dry dragon boat is in the painted hall,
Now putting on flowered shoes, now putting on red.
After wishing to the Nuo deities, there is nothing else to do,
"May the whole household be pure and auspicious"—thanking the host.