Question: What national taboos should we pay attention to when traveling to Xiangxi?

A: Tujia and Miao people in western Hunan, like other ethnic minorities, have many unique taboos, which have been gradually formed and preserved in the long-term practice of production, life and natural struggle. Tujia taboos are mostly manifested in daily life and production. Such as: avoid guests sitting on benches or joking with the daughter-in-law and daughter of the host family; Avoid sitting on the threshold of the host's room, because the host thinks it is an insult to him; If you accidentally step on the tripod in front of the stove or in the fire pit, the owner will be very unhappy and think that this is a disrespect for Tujia ancestors; Tujia people worship the kitchen god, so it is forbidden to put things on the kitchen table; Avoid whistling and making noise at home; Avoid wearing hemp fiber to keep warm or entering the kitchen, thinking that it will lead to fire; Don't beat gongs and drums at home, and don't throw the dustpan upside down in the middle of the room. These are all manifestations of family funerals. When eating, you are not allowed to stand behind the host with a bowl, and you are not allowed to knock on the bowl when eating, otherwise it is disrespectful to the host and will make the host "retreat"; Tujia people believe that children can't write well after eating chicken feet; After eating the pig's nose, he began to snore when he grew up; If you eat the pig's tail, you will fall behind for life; After eating a pig's foot fork, you can't find a lover when you grow up; They also prohibit children from pointing at immature melons and fruits, thinking that pointing will make young melons and fruits wither; If there is a pregnant woman in the host's house, remember not to knock things, nail, break ground or move large furniture in his house, thinking that it will move the tire; If the guests are pregnant women or widows, it is best not to attend Tujia wedding. They think it will affect the happiness of newlyweds. Tujia people also have many taboos on festive days and some special days. For example, killing is not allowed on New Year's Eve, thinking that "sparrows should have thirty nights"; Women are not allowed to wash pulp and be pricked by needles to avoid family discord; Don't go to the well to draw water, or the Dragon King will be angry and flood next year. It is forbidden to soak rice at New Year's Eve, or the flood will destroy the rice fields in the coming year. Don't splash water or sweep the floor during the Chinese New Year, so as not to sweep away wealth. On New Year's Day, festivals, weddings and other festive days, it is even more forbidden to fight, quarrel and cry, let alone say unlucky words such as "death", "mourning", "illness", "disability", "separation", "imprisonment" and "beheading". In addition, in Qingming, long summer, April 8, etc. Don't use cows or they will get sick. Tujia people also regard 1 month, April, July and1month as taboo days, and March, June, September and1February as "red evil days", so they avoid going out of the city in these days. The taboo of Miao nationality is whistling at home and at night. Miao people believe that whistling can attract cool air, while all kinds of monsters often enjoy the cool air. So whistling at home will lead ghosts into the room and suffer misfortune. Whistling at night will attract ghosts and bring disaster. Avoid stepping on a tripod. There is a cast iron tripod in the fire pit of Miao nationality, which is specially used for cooking rice and cooking pots. No one can step on it with their feet. Because it is said that the tripod was made by three fire-protecting ancestors, it is disrespectful to step on the tripod. Avoid "Hangguo". The right side of Miaohuokeng (facing north and south, etc.). ), there is an ancestral temple at the foot of the column, which is called "Hangguo" in Miao language. Young people and women are strictly forbidden to keep warm here, and children are not allowed to play here. Avoid shaking Longyan. There is a slate in the middle of the temple hall. There is a small pit under the slate. There is a bowl of clear water in the pit, which is the shelter of the dragon. If this slate is shaken, it is said that the "dragon" will be scared away and its owner will suffer. Parents are here, and the younger generation can't wrap a bald handkerchief. Avoid small years. From the day of beginning of spring, every Children's Day is a small year. If the fourth day of the first month is the first day of the first month, it is taboo from midnight on the third night. At this time, the family size, you look at me, I look at you, quietly without saying a word. On this day, the whole family rested, closed the door, did not go uphill, and did not do farm work. It was not until the evening after the fourth day that the taboo was untied. After getting up in the morning and before breakfast, avoid talking about dragons, snakes, leopards and ghosts.