Warriors of Ancient Ba Tribe
The Qingjiang River flows gently as it approaches the Yangtze River, and the river course becomes wider. Many people still live here. The local residents depend on fishing, a custom passed down from generation to generation. They are called the Tujia.
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In the 1950s, anthropologists suggested that the origin of the Tujia was connected with the ancient people of Ba. It is widely believed that they are their descendants. The evidence can be found through studies on the residential area and the customs they have retained.
37/08/21
The ancient civilization of the Tujia has not been found. In the middle of the 20 century, anthropologists discovered the existence of the Tujia tribe by chance. They were living among other tribes. It is very difficult (should this be not very difficult?) to define the characteristics of Tujia people as an independent tribe. The Tujia people have preserved a very distinctive lifestyle, different from other tribes living in the same region. Many ancient customs are passed down, including songs, dances and witchcraft. Ritualistic dances which involve primitive worship, retain an important meanings for them.
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The Tujia have a population of over 6 million. The place where they live in compact communities is called 鈥淲uling mountain area鈥. It occupies an area of 100,000 square kilometers, constituting forests, gorges, caves and rivers.
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Nowadays, Tujia people still live in uniquely shaped wooden buildings. The buildings look like the palaces of ancient Chinese emperors. They were built near the mountain and by the river, with graceful roofs, and complicated columns, stairs, and terraces. People live upstairs, while livestock, food and agricultural tools are raised and stored downstairs. Today, nobody can tell when this lifestyle began.
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