The Tu nationality

Concentrated in the Huzhu Autonomous County in the eastern part of Qinghai province, the Tu nationality has a population of about 190,000. The Tus speak a language belonging to the Mongolian branch of the Altaic family, but used the Chinese and the Tibetan scripts until 1979, when a new written system based on the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet was created for them. The Tus make a living out of farming, breeding livestock as a sideline occupation. Among the Tu's colorful national customs is a festival called "Nadun." It is a carnival which probably lasts longer than any other in the world!

The Tus inhabit an area in the northern part of China's Qinghai province. Their land stretches at the Yellow River Vally and extends northward along winding streams to the base of the snow-capped Qilian Mountain. Here, high above sea level, is a land of green pastures dotted with sheep and cattle against a clear blue sky.

Tu villages are compact communities made up of closely related families. Most of the villages are located at the foot of hills and near rivers. Every household has a quadrangular called Ma, with rooms on three sides. Characteristic of the traditional style of the houses in China's Northwest, it is distinguished by high walls, four strikingly angular caves and white stone pillars erected to "subdue the evil spirits." The main part of the house, where elder members of the family live, face south towards the courtyard gate, and the kitchen lies in the east or the northeastern corner of the compound. The family shrine is usually put against the wall just opposite the door of the main-room.

Highland barley, wheat and potatoes are the Tus' main diet. To this day, they have kept some of the eating habits practised by their ancestors as nomadic herdsmen, such as drinking milk tea, eating meat with their fingers and frying noodles with butter.

As a sign of hospitality, the Tus treat their guest to a fiveª²course meal. The first course consists of buttered tea made by mixing tea with butter and salt in a churn, deepª²fried buns and steamed twisted rolls made of flour; the second includes fried puffy shredded dough(or deepª²fried noodles) and stewed beef ribs; the third is stuffed buns cooked in various ways, followed by the fourth-meat eaten with the fingers. Last comes the Tus' special homeª²made long noodles.

The Tu region is known as the "land of rainbows," not only because rainbows are so frequently seen here, but also because the Tus are inherently fond of colors.

One striking feature of their costumes is their bright colors. Both men and women wear embroidered clothes with high collars. Tu men wear dark robes on top of a white short gown, with a green waistband and a felt hat.

Women's jackets have side openings, and sleeves where each section is a different color, the red, yellow, green, blue and violet matching the colors of the rainbow. In addition, they tie a long, wide colorful band around the waist and sometimes add a black sleeveless outer garment. Tu women are very particular about their headdress, called "Nuda," which used to have eight or nine eleborate variations. Nowadays, however, people prefer the simpleª²styled hats with a rolled-up brim.

The fine craftsmanship of the exquisite embroideries used to decorate clothes is the result of Tu women's many years of learning from their mothers or sisters. Before getting married, young women have to make themselves a set of embriodered clothes for a dowry, as well as for presents to their future husband and mother-in-law.

Besides clothes, ornamental embroidery patterns and designs are found on pillow covers, pinafores, pouches, needle-pads and sock-soles. Splendid embroidered products can be seen almost everywhere in Tu households and the Tus love them, both as an expression of their national culture and a reflection of the rain bow which brightens their daily lives.

In the east of the Tu region, every autumn after the harvest, the Nadun Festival starts amongst the music of drums and gongs. It is believed that the festival was originally held in memory of a carpenter well known for his wit, but it has now become carnival celebrating good harvests. During the celebrations the villagers enjoy themselves in singing and dancing to the vigorous rhythm of the drum. The rich, cheerful music called "Anzhao" where songs and dances are woven together, displays the distinctiveness of Tu folk art.

The Nadun festival is the longestª²lasting festival in the world: nearly two months, from July the thirteenth to early Semptember. Throughout the festival, the whole Tu nationality is in revelry and Tu villages are immersed in thundering drum beatings and a sea of songs.

Deeply influenced by the cultures of the neighboring Tibetans and Mogolians, as a result of generations of close contact with them, most Tus believe in Tibetan Buddhism and are followers of Lamaism. The famous temple at Yongning in the Tu region used to be the biggest Buddhist monastery in Qinghai province. It once held 3,000 monks, many of whom were well-learned scholars of noble character who were highly thought of both at royal court and amongst ordinary people.

The solemn, somber sound of the shellª²trumpet used in religious services seems to be a thing of the Tu's eventful past. Now, the Tu people are making full use of the region's rich natural resources to make a better life for themselves. A Tu saying goes, "good luck comes with a visitor!" So now when the Tus entertain distant guests with their wellª²known "Brotherhood Wine" and beautiful "Anzhao" music, they firmly believe that a new rainbow is rising in their homeland sky, promising a better future.