Now the descendants of Tujia people in Hubei and Hunan think they are descendants of White Tiger. They have worshipped the white tiger for generations, and they never forget to worship it everywhere they go. A white tiger carved with wood is enshrined in the shrine of every household all the year round. When getting married, the man should spread a tiger blanket on the spacious table in the main hall, symbolizing the sacrifice to the tiger ancestors.
Legend has it that Tujia ancestors had three brothers, burly and brave, who were recruited by the emperor to fight for meritorious service. They should have been promoted in rank and title, but the emperor was suspicious and was afraid that the three tigers would rebel and seize the country, so he poisoned them with wine. After the death of the three brothers, the ghost lingered and turned into three white tigers making a scene in the golden palace. The emperor was frightened and sealed all kinds of gods, and the white tiger wandered; Later, the white tiger was made the king of the white emperor, and he was called the emperor on an equal footing, and a temple was set up for sacrifice. The three white tigers only nodded three times and left smartly.
When Tujia people offered sacrifices to their ancestor Tiger King, they were presided over by the local wizard "Ma Ti", who danced and put the tiger skin in the center of the sacrificial table and invited the tiger gods to enjoy it. When dancing, you should put on tiger skin, and those without tiger skin should put on brocade quilt, which symbolizes the colorful and gorgeous tiger skin.
With the spread of the myth of white tiger, the custom of Tujia people worshiping white tiger is also manifested in all aspects and has become an important part of Tujia national culture. Besides religious worship, white tigers can be seen everywhere in Tujia people's lives. For example, the money, knives and swords held by ancient Tujia ancestors were all engraved with tiger heads or patterns. Most of the patterns on the flags held by Tujia wizards are tiger-shaped; There is a white tiger carved on the top of the door of Tujia building, and a tiger head is cast on the knocker. Its original intention is to use the tiger's glory to exorcise evil spirits and to look forward to peace and happiness.
In the county annals compiled by western Hubei and western Hunan, all the Tujia people's names recorded are often marked with the word tiger. Nowadays, many people still like to be named after tigers. Children should wear shoes embroidered with tiger's head and a hat with tiger's head. The quilt in the cradle should be embroidered with the pattern of "cat's footprints", which means "cat" or "tiger". Pan Guangdan once wrote in the article Tujia and Cubans in Northwest Hunan: "The white tiger is the ancestor of the son, and the ancestor must protect the grandson".
In the past, there was an argument among the people. Some people feel very wronged and wronged, but the official can't make a clear decision. The two sides agreed to drink cat blood wine and vowed: "If you wronged me, I will be furious;" If I wronged you, I would die nine times. " In this way, regardless of the size of the case, drinking cat blood wine will disappear and will never repent. Cats are called tigers. Drinking cat blood is drinking tiger blood. Dare to drink tiger blood, indicating that the blood relationship with Tiger King is not broken. He is an authentic descendant of Tiger King. He has never done anything to disappoint Tiger King. If he has done something wrong, he will not dare to drink cat blood wine. When he approaches the shrine, his hands and feet are shaking and his whole body is shaking. Afterwards, you must kill a pig and offer a blood sacrifice to show your remorse and beg its forgiveness.
According to historical records, Hu Jun has always put national interests first, never covet personal safety, and led his nation to keep advancing. When Zhou Wuwang attacked Zhou, Tujia ancestors firmly supported him and helped him win. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the Japanese invaders invaded the southeast coast, and thousands of Tujia national soldiers went to the front to fight against the Japanese pirates, and they won a great victory in hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese pirates in Jiaxing. In the Agrarian Revolution, War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, Tujia children shed blood and sacrificed, which made great achievements in defending the territorial integrity of the motherland and people's liberation.
Myth plays a nurturing and casting role in the formation of a nation's soul and personality characteristics. Its vitality is strong because those simple and beautiful cultural factors are always hidden in folk art and still shine in today's civilized society.