Tujia Wedding In Wufeng County, Hubei Province Divisions Ancestral Ritual Music Study

The Tujia ancestor sacrifice was a folk ceremony spread at Wufeng town, Hubei province on weddings, including both instrumental and vocal music as two important forms. Normally, the core members consist of tens of elders which accompanying the main singer with suona horns, trombones, flutes, gongs, as well as side drums. Singing contents are to inform the ancestors of new couples by the singer instead of by themselves and to pray for peace and safety. The whole ceremony goes overnight and ends at dawn.According to historical materials, the ancestor sacrifice at Wufeng town originated from the Tang sacrifice of the Han, which prevails among the mass because of the revival of Confucius manners and Rites of Zhou at Zhenguan period in Tang dynasty. Most of the Tang sacrifice manners come from the Four Books and were parts of the royal manners of Han dynasty. These manners were delivered to Wufeng town during migration between the late Ming and the early Qing, after being integrated with Tujia culture, it came to the convention nowadays. There are four forms of Tang sacrifice, including "Informing " in weddings,"opening" in funerals,"sacrificing" in ancestor worshiping, and "mourning" to Confucius. The writer discovered, through field survey, that this ancestor sacrifice evolves from the traditional culture of the Han to folk culture of Tujia, and in which persons who have been inheriting this culture play two important parts in carrying on and transforming as follow:In respect of inheriting traditions:At first, texts, signets, and official caps that kept by local craftsmen are handed over from the forefathers. They had been sacrifice manners of the Han before they were used in Wufeng town, representing Zhou Confucianism and the doctrine of Confucius and Mencius, which aimed to teach juniors to pay respects on filial piety, manners and knowledge. Thus the major ceremony compere must be "Tribute students" as they enjoys high prestige and noble character.At the second, according to interviews to craftsmen at Chang Maosi Village, Caihua County, Wufeng town, the writer discovered that their ancestors are all immigrants outside of town, once were Han people. After generations of reproduction, their offspring have been true to the name of Tujia, as well as the ancestor sacrifice.In respect of transition and fusion:Ar first, since the ancestor sacrifice took roots at Wufeng, it has been melted with the life concept and faith of Tujia after generations of inheriting in every ceremony, which fulfills religious needs.In the second place, although the ancestor sacrifice was delivered to Wufeng by the Han, it has been gradually melted with tunes of local folk music during over300years in every respect, no matter in vocal or instrumental parts. It can certainly represents folk culture of Tujia at Wufeng town.