In some family areas at the junction of Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Guizhou, it lasts for three years every year: "Catch the New Year" on the 29th (or 28th) of the twelfth lunar month; June 25th of the lunar calendar passes the "June Year"; The first day of October passes the "October Year".
China New Year (referred to as "Spring Festival" for short) is on December 30th (or 29th) of the lunar calendar. Tujia people are all rushing to celebrate the New Year one day in advance, so they call it "rushing to celebrate the New Year". Why do Tujia people celebrate the New Year? There are four different sayings in the border areas of Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Guizhou: one is to resist foreign aggression. It is said that during the Jiajing period, the Japanese invaded China, and Yongshun Tusi Peng Yina was ordered to go to war. He led 3000 soldiers to the front line one day ahead of schedule, defeated the Japanese army, and made "the first meritorious service in Southeast China". In order to commemorate the victory of this campaign, but also to express the deep memory of the broad masses of the people for the Japanese soldiers, the Tujia people in Yongshun County decided to celebrate the New Year on the 29th (or 28th) of the twelfth lunar month, a tradition that has lasted for hundreds of years. Another way of saying it is to defeat alien harassment. Due to frequent ethnic wars, Tujia people often can't celebrate the New Year safely. As a result, the leader of this country made a surprise attack with clever tricks. The leader asked the people to celebrate the New Year one day in advance, and then led the soldiers to make a surprise attack. The enemy ate wine and meat during the Chinese New Year and was unprepared. Tujia people beat him out of the water and evacuated hastily. There is also a saying that Tujia ancestors were poor and worked long-term for the rich. They are too poor to be reunited with their families in the New Year, so they have to celebrate the New Year one day earlier. It is also said that taxi families in Xiyang and Xiushan in Sichuan celebrate the New Year on March 3 and April 17 of the lunar calendar respectively, because Tujia people were ordered to go out to war during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, and the date of returning to the DPRK was different, so the time of the New Year was different.
From the above four different stories (legends), we can find one thing in common, that is, Tujia nationality has always been brave and fearless, glaring at the enemy, being resourceful and winning by surprise, whether it is foreign aggression, foreign harassment or exploitation and plunder by landlords. This is a heroic nation, a generous nation.
On the night of "Catch the New Year", a raging fire broke out in the village, and the flag of the New Year was flying high. Men and women danced around the fire, singing New Year's songs and dancing Maugus. This kind of "catching up with the Chinese New Year" is refreshing, wild and exciting, and has a special mood.
The formation and development of Tujia nationality's generous and happy national temperament is inseparable from the historical fact that they have suffered hardships and been oppressed in the historical process and were forced to move several times, but they can take it calmly. Therefore, just like their ancestors Chu (or Ba, "Naman"), they developed a strong national spirit of missing their ancestors, cherishing the past, Qi Xin and being martial, which was vividly reflected in the customs and legends of the last family "June Year" and "October Year".
According to folklore, the ancient Tujia people originally lived in Jiangxi province, but they could not bear the plunder and oppression of the government and the rich, and avoided the disaster of being separated. They agreed to start preparations on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, then quietly left, crossed Dongting Lake, returned to the river, and arrived at a beautiful place in the mountainous area where Wuhai sent snacks. There are big trees to build diaojiao buildings, and there are clear springs to brew "corn roast" (home-brewed liquor), which is worth celebrating. Therefore, the newly settled Tujia people decided to celebrate the New Year first: slaughter cows, worship gods, "wave hands" and sing songs. This day is June 25th of the lunar calendar, so it is called "June Year".
After several months' efforts, the newly reclaimed land is fertile, the grain is abundant, and the six livestock have gained weight, and the Tujia people have ushered in the first bumper autumn in their new homes. In this way, they have another "October year" on the first day of October in the lunar calendar (which is also related to the "October year" of their ancestors-Chu people). Every household steamed "corn roast", big fat pigs were killed in the stockade, and people went to each village to pay New Year greetings and wish each other well.