A Study Of The Xiangxi Tujia Clan Ethics

Clan Ethics is gradually formed in the long course of clan life, and inevitably consists of some traditional factors. Whether it plays an active role in the new social historical period is an important issue people are very concerned about. In our views, the construction of a socialist harmonious society requires a number of factors and conditions, clan ethics is one of the aspects that cannot be overlooked. Compared with the lives of the Han people, the lives of Xiangxi(the western part of Hunan Province) Tujia ethnic people have more obvious clan features, therefore, the Xiangxi Tujia clan ethics has a more prominent effect on the realities of social life.The formation and development of Xiangxi Tujia clan ethics is consistent with that of Xiangxi Tujia Ethics. It has experienced five stages: including the embryonic period, the forming period, the development period, a short stagnant period and the recovery period . During the long life of the clan, Xiangxi Tujia ethnic people gradually develop a moral system which focuses on the overall interests of the clan , heaven worship, folk habits, the authority of the clan and the family. During its formation and development process, greatly influenced not only by the Xiangxi Tujia worshipping ancestors and the totem, and special living geographic environment, but also the traditional ethics of the Han clans, Xiangxi Tujia clan ethics has the following characteristics : ties of blood of common ancestry is taken as a link to maintain the clan, and the strong clan awareness , defending the authority of the clan ethnic clans regulations and rules, pursuing patriarchal concept of men superior to women, being filial ,showing respect to the elder, attaching importance to friendship and face-saving. From the main content and the main features of Xiangxi Tujia Ethics Clan, we can see that it is not entirely reasonable and worthy of being affirmative. This requires that we should meet the socialist modernization construction needs, comply with the development trend of the times, adhere to the principle of combining inheritance with innovation, inherit rational elements of Xiangxi Tujia Clan Ethics' culture and accord with the requirements of the present era of transforming them in order to create a people preserving ethnic characteristics necessary to meet the needs of social development in the Xiangxi Tujia clan ethics. Only in this way can it really help to strengthen national cohesion and national unity, regulate civil disputes, maintain order in the community, and promote the building of a harmonious socialist society.