| The Tujias pay great attention to traditional festivals, especially to the Spring Festival. On the occasion, every family will slay pigs, make mung bean flour, and cook rice wine. The pork and mixed vegetables are the main dishes for the feast during the festival. The sticky rice is one of the most favorable foods of the Tujias.
February 2 of each lunar calendar year is the day to worship God of Land. On the occasion, people will have a special dinner. Zongzi (dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) is the food served in the Dragon Boat Festival.
The Tujias used to believe in ghosts. They worshiped their ancestors in the Spring Festival. Besides, the small worship is also held on the 1stand 15thof each month. The offering is made of the pig heads and sticky rice cakes, chicken and duck and five cereals. Some families will put with chopsticks a few vegetables on the rice to show that the priority of tasting food first has been given to the forebears. On June 6 of the lunar calendar, the King of the Earth is to be worshipped. Every village will hold the worship in the front hall and set the pig head and fruits there.
The Worship to the Winter will take place on the Shuo day of October. People will slay chook and duck to feast guests. In addition, the Tujias will worship the Kitchen God, Cereal God and Swine God. While constructing a house, they will worship Lu Ban (the Chinese master carpenter). In addition to wine and meat, a cock is indispensable. |
