A Blissful Journey Brimming With Culture

Until now， Shennongjia is believed to be a shrine by local people. The natural abundance and great scenery are indeed a source of pride for the locals. Apart from the stunning scenery and moderate climate， Shennongjia has also left brilliant culture. With a long history of human civilization supported by archaeological evidence， Shennongjia has nurtured people for generations. Ethnic groups， including Tujia， Miao and Dong， who are dwelling in the mountains， are good at both singing and dancing. Shennongjia is like a goblet of mellowed wine. Once you taste it， you will be as drunk as a lord. Now， let’s start a trip.

Incomparable hospitality

When visiting the mountain villagers in the Shennongjia， eating is a special custom. Not surprisingly， rice and corn are the main staples of local residents. They subsist on agriculture and fish. Cash crop， such as tung oil and tea are the main economic drivers in the area. Wine， brewed out of glutinous rice and a little honey is sweet and well-known in Shennongjia. Drinking wine might make the adults feel warm. Some people pick rare medicine herds， such as wild gastrodia to mix with wine， which can not only keep the cold out but also cure diseases.

In Shennongjia， Tujia brocade is regarded as one of the four excellent brocades of ethnic minorities in China. Traditional Tujia brocade is hand-knitted， using organic materials such linen， cotton and silk. Tujia brocade is called “Xilankapu” that means the quilt with embroidered patterns in Tujia’s language. Traditionally， local women wear jackets trimmed with lace. Also， they like to wrap the head with a kerchief of more than 3 meters long. Men wear a short shirt with more than ten buttons in the front， and a long kerchief around the head. The materials for making clothes are mainly homespun black or blue cotton and flax.

When you visit the local people for the first time， the host will invite you to have some tea but offer you a bowl of wine. This custom of replacing tea with wine is called “Helengjiu （drinking cold wine）”. If you cannot drink wine， you should explain it to them and have a sip of the wine. It is more like the pure respect for the host.

After drinking the cold wine， the host will then treat you with the hot rice. The host will firstly put a little bit of hot rice into your bowl. A little while later， no matter whether you eat up the rice or not， the host will take your bowl away and throw away the rice left in the bowl， and then fill your bowl with hot rice again. Even in the hot summer， they still do the same thing， for they think it is a manner for the host to show his or her hospitality and the well-off condition of the family.

After finishing the main course， the host will treat the guest with a bowl of sweet rice wine or pop rice in a bowl of sweet water which is generally called “Welcoming Tea”. However， there is only one chopstick for you to have the tea. It is said that one chopstick symbolizes “half of a feast，” and the tea indicates hospitality of the host.

Dramatic performances

When you travel to the Xiaguping Township， there is an unmissable chance to enjoy the Tang Opera （Hall Show）， one of the most famous traditional operas in Shennongjia. The opera is showed in the hall， hence its name. During the 18th Century when Chinese local operas were flourishing， Tang Opera took roots and then thrived in Shennongjia， performing numerous funny and hilarious dramas. Now， the opera has developed into an entertainment art in rural areas， especially in Xiaguping Township.

Tang Opera is the main form of blessing and entertainment for the locals at many festivals. Long time ago， people gathered together to entertain themselves and pay for good luck， which actually was a part of their daily life. Later on， it developed into a kind of performance during which performers made up themselves and followed simple dance steps. Most of the Tang Opera plays were based on Chinese traditional folk tales. As the opera flourished， more and more stories from other opera genres were incorporated.

It is easy to understand the Tang Opera thanks to its lyrical tunes， simple words and literary tradition. The same as other Chinese local operas， Tang Opera also adopts the local dialect. Therefore， it is pleasant to native ears. As for the costumes in most operas， artists wear ancient-style garments since the Tang Opera is based on Chinese folk tales. Since the contents of the opera are often varied， costumes and sets change according to the opera’s social environment and custom. Purity， simplicity and passion are what make Tang Opera an enduring drama appreciated by all. Along ancient paths of the township， those ancient songs seem to be lingering around your ears.

Like many minority groups in China， Tujia people in Shennongjia believe in the power of ancestors and gods. And the worship also can be seen in their traditional funeral and dances. Sayeryo （a form of traditional funeral dance in the area） enjoys a long history. According to the record， the performance Sayeryo was a way of mourning. At a traditional funeral， villagers will wear bright clothes， put the coffin in the town hall， and sing and dance together. Tujia people believe birth and death are like the changing of the seasons， natural and inevitable. Through the unique dance， they can express their positive attitude towards the future.

People dwelling in Shennongjia are like the spirits in the mountains. To truly appreciate them， you have to get close with them. When I set out my return trip， I look back. What I am unwilling to separate are the simple and kindly people in Shennongjia， the drinking custom popular here， and the singing and dancing cheering me up. With all those things， how can I not be enchanted and intoxicated？ I only wish I could stay in this fantastic land forever！