Tu (土族)

Geography and Language of Tu (土族)

The Tu people live mainly in the Huzhu Tu Autonomous County in Qinghai province though there are some people living in Gansu province.

Their language is related to Mongolian with a very similar vocabulary, though closer to Bonan and Dongxiang languages. Tibetan words are used for religious terms and other phrases taken from Han. There is no written Tu language so they use Chinese instead.

• Population: 192,600
• Distribution:  Gansu and Qinghai
• Language: Tu and Han
• Religion: Lamaism

History of Tu (土族)

Tu people call themselves ‘Mongguer’ or ‘Chalan Mongguer’ (Mongolians or White Mongolians), which illustrates the close link between the two ethnic groups. One legend states that Tu ancestors were soldiers led by one of Genghis Khan’s generals. Records also say Mongolian troops turned up in Xining which ruled Huzhu County in the Yuan dynasty and many soldiers moved to or were stationed in Xining. Some Tu people in Huzhu County are descended from Mongolians who came from Andingwei in the Ming dynasty.

‘Houer,’ formerly the name Tibetans used for the nomadic herdsmen of northern Tibet now refers to Tu people specifically.

The Tus began by breeding livestock as early as the Ming dynasty, especially sheep and goats, taking advantage of the fertile mountains they lived on. At this time, the area fell to hereditary headmen who used ‘inspection tours’ as a pretext to exploit the Tus. This system was only formally abolished by the Kuomintang in 1931, though the headmen were appointed district or county heads and nothing really changed.

Modern Times of Tu (土族)

Between 1915 and 1949, churches and church-run schools were established by missionaries and imperialists plundered raw materials and local produce. In the first half of the 20th century, the Ma family warlords ruled and exploited the Tu people.Interests on loans were high and peasants laboured in workshops as thay had not been able to repay loans.

There were many uprisings against oppression and in 1949, they set up their own local administration and, in 1954, the Huzhu Tu Autonomous County was established. A religious reform followed, and mountains and springs were now used for farmland and irrigation, whereas before they were sacred. One tradition which remains, however, is that of Tu people cremating their dead.

Culture of Tu (土族)

Singing and dancing are important parts of the Tus’ cultural heritage; there is a festival dedicated to ballad singing every year and this ethnic group has a rich history of oral literature.

A number of enterprises have been set up since the founding of the PRC, including industry and mining. Wine, ore, coal, farm machinery and fertilisers are some of the products produced, now.

Health and education, along with culture, have been developed at the same time and there are around 10,000 Tu students.