Carnjo do Chengdu & The Yangtzee: 25 Tribe of Three Gorges

Like a true Greek mama,
always trying to match make

"Appealing like a Painting" no truer words have ever been written..

I would have to say this was my most favourite shore excursion on our Yangtze River Cruise. Think of Old Sydney Town, with an Asian flavour.

This touristy spot is so picturesque that I nearly wet myself as I turned the corner and entered the site, I didn't know which way to point the camera. Villages beautifully recreated that immersed you into their primitive life style, historical folk culture and the traditions of the local people who lived along the Yangtze River. They say it is a perfect mixture of Ba and Chu cultures.

The area is vast and we only got to see a small part of it, but probably the prettiest.

We were guided by a lovely young girl in traditional dress. She spoke of her clothes and the meaning of the basket she carried on her back.... if it is filled with flowers then you are available for marriage, once you are married, that is where you carry your baby !!

From this first map you can see just how large it is.

The second map shows the small area were we we spent our time there walking along the Longii Brook. Along either side of it's banks traditional homes have been reconstructed exactly as they used to be.

No matter where you go, no matter what time of the day... there is always food on a stick

As we entered through the first pavilion we were welcomed by a lone trumpeter.

It is then you step out onto a platform with views straight down the Yangtze. Houses and small boats built to form the Village on the Water. We stood and watched as men in traditional dress pulled ropes and brought the larger boats closer to their moorings

As you followed the path the silence was only broken by a single flute player standing on a rock or the tunes that emanated from the pavilions. But best of all were the beautiful songs sung by the girls on boats along the stream.

Further up the brook you will find the Stream-side tribe. You can watch the ancient water wheel go round, locals washing and fishing nets at the ready.

Always a photo Opportunity

Getting ready for our play

A highlight of our visit was a reenactment of a typical Tujia Marriage .... more commonly known as the Crying Wedding....

The play was narrated in Chinese and all you can do is watch and assume what is going on.... but now that I am home, I have google and I can tell you the real story .....

For the girls of the Tujia Ethnic Minority, their marriage date is usually welcomed with crying. According to custom, a new bride should begin to cry half a month or one month before their wedding ceremony. Whether a girl can cry about her marriage has become a criterion in the value of the girl's ability and virtue.

In order to be regarded as a good girl, they begin to study how to cry for marriage when they are 12 years old. Some will invite an experienced person to teach them. When the girls reach 15 years of age, they will invite each other to match who cries best and to help teach each other. Some will even discuss methods of crying.

There are songs which are sung when weeping for marriage. These include singing for parents, sisters, brothers, the matchmaker and ancestors. When singing the weeping marriage songs, emotions are fully expressed through the mournful tones. Upon hearing the vivid and strong words of the song, even a stone-hearted man can't fight back his tears. In fact, girls sing these songs before marriage to protest the arranged marriage system under feudalism and express sentimental attachment to their relatives.