Autumn of Tu Nationality

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Tu Nationality

Applicant: Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province

Project No.: 817

Project No.: VI - 45

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional sports, recreation and acrobatics

Region:

Type: new item

Applicant: Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province

Protection unit: Huzhu Tu Autonomous County Cultural Center

A brief introduction to Tu Nationality

Applicant: Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province

Wheel autumn is an ancient sports activity of Tu ancestors. Tu language is called "Bu RI re", which means rotation, that is, wheel. Wheel autumn is popular in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County of Qinghai Province. It is usually held in leisure and festive festivals.

There is a beautiful legend about the origin of autumn. It is said that the ancestors of Tu nationality ploughed with green dragon and bison successively, but they were not successful; at last, they ploughed with yellow cattle and got a good harvest. People made wooden carts to transport crops. When the last truck of highland barley was put on the stage, the cart overturned, and two clean bellied dolls danced on the wheel facing the sky, singing the harvest song yanggeluo. Since then, after the mill is finished every winter, people will erect the axle and wheels of the cart in the flat and wide wheat field or spacious ground to stabilize the center of gravity. A long wooden ladder will be tied to the upward wheel, and the two ends of the ladder will be tied with a rope loop made of epithelial rope or hemp rope. They push the wooden ladder towards each other and make it rotate. Then they sit or stand in the loop of the rope and rotate quickly. At the same time, they perform all kinds of breathtaking actions. From time to time, onlookers helped push the wooden ladder to accelerate its rotation. Sometimes, a large group of young men and women in gorgeous costumes around the circle, singing and dancing, such as the stars cluster on the moon.

After the 1980s, the original wheels were changed to steel discs, which were covered with ball bearings to make them more solid and beautiful, and then decorated with colorful flags. The activities gradually moved from the folk to the formal stadium, which was familiar and accepted by Han, Tibetan, Hui and other nationalities on the plateau.

It is a symbol of courage, wisdom and unity of the Tu people. It is also a traditional activity loved by the men, women, old and young of the Tu people and actively participated in. However, due to the influence of modern life style, the grand occasion of wheel autumn activities has been weakened and needs to be protected.