Traditional Ritual's Changes In Modern Times

Saerhe is one kind of ritual which is used by Tujia people who lived in the middle reaches area of Qingjiang River to mourn the senior people of normal death. It is also called as Tiaosang, Dasanggu, Sayerhe. In June,2006, the State Council announced the first national intangible cultural heritage, classing it in the folk dance with the name of Tujia Sayerhe. Just like the other kinds of traditional ritual, Saerhe has undergone changes, too. Saerhe in modern times, what it significantly different from other traditional rituals is that it is rejuvenated by its self-adjustment, spread widely, accept population continue to increase, as the representative and cultural symbols of Tujia traditional culture.The field survey of this study has been done mainly in Yesanguan and Qingtaipingping, Badong, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. We used interview method, participation in observation method, and documenting method to collect information in the Field investigation. We also employed comparative analysis method, combining qualitative and quantitative, referring to some theories of ethnology, cultural anthropology, visual anthropology, sociology, history, media studies and other disciplines. The whole text will be discussed from the following aspects:Chapter one, the introductory part of the major topics, discusses the origin and meaning and describes the major achievements, development, and research methods at home and abroad.Chapter two is an overview of the Saerhe. Saerhe is derived from the ancient Ba people's army songs and war dances, in the historical development incorporating some factors of the Chu culture. About Saerhe's source, multiple legends said it is a foreign culture in the Tujia areas formed in the communication process. Now Saerhe is widely distributed, but culture is still traditional in Saerhe distribution area, describing the nature, social status of Yesanguan and Qingtaiping towns.Chapter three analyses Saerhe's of process and structure. Saerhe rituals have three stages of separation, margin—transition, and aggregation, the old man's on the verge of death to mount a coffin is the ceremony of separation stage, with the body into the coffin as the separation stage, and closing the coffin as the margin-transition stage, and soul's homecoming as the aggregation stage. Five towels and extermination of the drum are two important symbols in the ritual. The ritual shows the harmony between the in-laws and the family members themselves.Chapter four describes Saerhe's modern changing process and eight aspects of the change. Saerhe's modern changes conform closely to the national policies. In the late 1970s, it separated into the sacrifice and performances. The sacrifice of the field, the lines, actions, drums, heritage area, inheritance, team composition has also changed.Chapter five considers the motivation of Saerhe's changes as the emotional energy pursuit, and the changes of grass-roots social organizations and geopolitics after the Reform and Opening-up Policy in China.