In this vast land of China, there are 56 fraternal ethnic groups, among which the Tujia and Tu people, although they have similar names, belong to two different ethnic groups, each with its own unique cultural traditions and historical context. This article will delve into the differences between the two ethnic groups in terms of their basic profile, historical origins, cultural characteristics, and social customs, in order to clarify the fact that they are not the same people.
1. Introduction to the Tujia family
The Tujia people, also known as Bizka, are one of China's ethnic minorities, mainly living in Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and Chongqing, with a total population of about 8 million. The Tujia people have their own language, Tujia, but most people are accustomed to using Chinese. Historically, the Tujia people were mainly agricultural, good at weaving and bamboo and wood crafts, believing in multiple gods, and embracing Buddhism, Taoism and primitive religious beliefs. Its cultural symbols are rich and diverse, such as intangible cultural heritage such as hand-waving dance, Timar song, Tujia brocade, etc., as well as characteristic folk culture such as stilted building, copper bell dance, and Tujia mountain song.
2. Introduction to the Tu people
The Tu people, also known as Tuguhun, are mainly distributed in Qinghai Province Mutual Aid Tu Autonomous County, as well as Gansu, Sichuan and other parts of the country, with a population of about 240,000 people. The Tu people have their own language, Tuyu, but the common Chinese language is used, and the script is Chinese. The ancestors of the Tu nationality can be traced back to the ancient Tuyuhun people, whose history and culture are blended and symbiotic with the Tibetan, Mongolian, Han and other ethnic groups, forming a unique national customs. The costumes of the Tu nationality are bright and colorful, especially the colorful sleeves are the most typical, in addition, there are a variety of folk art and customs activities such as Anzhao dance, wheel autumn, embroidery, flowers, etc.
3. Cultural differences between the Tujia and the Tu people
- Language: The Tujia language used by the Tujia people is Tujia, while the Tujia language is used by the Tu people, although the two have similar names, they are not related phonetically, lexically, and grammatically, and both commonly use Chinese as a daily communication tool.
- Historical origin: The history of the Tujia family can be traced back to the Qin and Han dynasties, while the Tujia people originated from the ancient Tuyuhun tribe, and the historical development and migration trajectory of the two are very different.
- Cultural symbols: The cultural elements such as the Tujia hand-waving dance and the Tujia brocade have strong local characteristics and ethnic customs, while the Tujia colorful sleeves and Anzhao dance are their national cultural symbols, each representing a unique national culture and aesthetic orientation.
- Living customs: The Tujia and Tu ethnic groups have their own characteristics in terms of clothing, food, architecture, festivals and celebrations. For example, the Tujia people like to live in stilted buildings, and the Tujia people are good at building adobe houses; the Tujia diet is spicy, and the taste of the Tu people is biased towards sour dairy products.
conclusion
To sum up, although the Tujia and Tu people have similar names, they actually represent two different ethnic groups, and they have significant differences in geographical distribution, historical origin, language and culture, and living customs. These two ethnic groups are treasures in the big family of the Chinese nation, and their unique cultural traditions and national wisdom have injected rich and unique colors into China's pluralistic and integrated national cultural pattern. Understanding and respecting the different cultural characteristics of these two nations will help us better understand and inherit the diverse cultures of the Chinese nation and promote the harmonious coexistence and development of various ethnic groups.