Origin Although there are different accounts of their origins, the Tujia may trace their history back over twelve centuries, and possibly beyond to the ancient
Ba people who occupied the area around modern-day
Chongqing some 2,500 years ago. The
Ba Kingdom reached the zenith of its power between 600 BC and 400 BC but was annexed by the
Qin in 316 BC. After being referred to by a long succession of different names in ancient documents, the Tujia appeared in historical records from about 14th century onwards.
Ming and Qing dynasties The Tujia
tusi chieftains reached the zenith of their power under the
Ming dynasty (1368–1644), when they were accorded comparatively high status by the imperial court. They achieved this through their reputation as providers of fierce, highly disciplined fighting men, who were employed by the emperor to suppress revolts by other minorities. On numerous occasions, they helped defend China against outside invaders, such as the
wokou ("Japanese" pirates) who ravaged the coast during the 16th century. The
Manchus invaded and conquered the Ming in 1644 and established the Great Qing Empire, known in China as the
Qing dynasty. Ever suspicious of local rulers, the Qing emperors always tried to replace Han officials with Manchu officials wherever they could. In the early 18th century, the Qing court finally felt secure enough to establish direct control over minority areas as well. This process, known as
gaituguiliu (literally 'replace the local [ruler], return to mainstream [central rule]'), was carried out throughout South-West China gradually and, in general, peacefully. The court adopted a
carrot and stick approach of lavish pensions for compliant
chieftains, coupled with a huge show of military force on the borders of their territories. Most of the Tujia areas returned to central control during the period 1728–1735. While the rule of the Qing government was more orderly compared to the rule of chieftains, many in the Tujia peasantry came to resent the attempts of the Qing court to impose national culture and customs on them. With the weakening of central Qing rule, numerous large-scale uprisings occurred, culminating in the violent
Taiping Rebellion.
Recent history as part of a field work on Tujia ethnicity in China Following the collapse of the Qing, the Tujia found themselves caught between various competing
warlords. More and more land was given over to the cultivation of high-earning
opium at the insistence of wealthy landlords and
banditry was rife. After the founding of the
People's Republic of China in 1949, Tujia areas came under communist control and banditry was rapidly eradicated. The
Great Leap Forward led to mass famine in Tujia communities. The Tujia were officially recognized as one of the 55
ethnic minorities in January 1957 and a number of
autonomous prefectures and
counties were subsequently established. State Councillor
Dai Bingguo, one of China's top officials on foreign policy, is the most prominent Tujia in the Chinese government. ==Culture==