The Tus inhabit an area in the northern part of China's Qinghai province. Their land stretches at the Yellow River Vally and extends northward along winding streams to the base of Mountain Qilian snow-capped. Here, high above sea level, is a land of green pastures dotted with sheep and cattle against a clear blue sky.

Tu villages are compact communities made up of closely related families. Most of the villages are located at the foot of hills and near rivers. Every household has a quadrangular called Ma, with rooms on three sides. Characteristic of the traditional style of the houses in China's Northwest, it is distinguished by high walls, four strikingly angular caves and white stone pillars erected to “subdue the evil spirits”. The main part of the house, where elder members of the family live, face south towards the courtyard gate, and the kitchen lies in the east or the northeastern corner of the compound. The family shrine is usually put against the wall just opposite the door of the main-room.

Highland barley, wheat and potatoes are the Tus' main diet. To this day, they have kept some of the eating habits practised by their ancestors as nomadic herdsmen, such as drinking milk tea, eating meat with their fingers and frying noodles with butter.

As a sign of hospitality, the Tus treat their guest to a fivecourse meal. The first course consists of buttered tea made by mixing tea with butter and salt in a churn, deep fried buns and steamed twisted rolls made of flour; the second includes fried puffy shredded dough(or deep fried noodles) and stewed beef ribs; the third is stuffed buns cooked in various ways, followed by the fourth-meat eaten with the fingers. Last comes the Tus' special home made long noodles.

The Tu region is known as the “land of rainbows”, not only because rainbows are so frequently seen here, but also because the Tus are inherently fond of colors.

One striking feature of their costumes is their bright colors. Both men and women wear embroidered clothes with high collars. Tu men wear dark robes on top of a white short gown, with a green waistband and a felt hat.

Women's jackets have side openings, and sleeves where each section is a different color, the red, yellow, green, blue and violet matching the colors of the rainbow. In addition, they tie a long, wide colorful band around the waist and sometimes add a black sleeveless outer garment. Tu women are very particular about their headdress, called “Nuda”, which used to have eight or nine eleborate variations. Nowadays, however, people prefer the simple styled hats with a rolled-up brim.

The fine craftsmanship of the exquisite embroideries used to decorate clothes is the result of Tu women's many years of learning from their mothers or sisters. Before getting married, young women have to make themselves a set of embriodered clothes for a dowry, as well as for presents to their future husband and mother-in-law.

Besides clothes, ornamental embroidery patterns and designs are found on pillow covers, pinafores, pouches, needle-pads and sock-soles. Splendid embroidered products can be seen almost everywhere in Tu households and the Tus love them, both as an expression of their national culture and a reflection of the rain bow which brightens their daily lives.

In the east of the Tu region, every autumn after the harvest, the Nadun Festival starts amongst the music of drums and gongs. It is believed that the festival was originally held in memory of a carpenter well known for his wit, but it has now become carnival celebrating good harvests. During the celebrations the villagers enjoy themselves in singing and dancing to the vigorous rhythm of the drum. The rich, cheerful music called “Anzhao” where songs and dances are woven together, displays the distinctiveness of Tu folk art.

The Nadun festival is the longestlasting festival in the world: nearly two months, from July the thirteenth to early Semptember. Throughout the festival, the whole Tu nationality is in revelry and Tu villages are immersed in thundering drum beatings and a sea of songs.

Deeply influenced by the cultures of the neighboring Tibetans and Mogolians, as a result of generations of close contact with them, most Tus believe in Tibetan Buddhism and are followers of Lamaism. The famous temple at Yongning in the Tu region used to be the biggest Buddhist monastery in Qinghai Province. It once held 3,000 monks, many of whom were well-learned scholars of noble character who were highly thought of both at royal court and amongst ordinary people.

The solemn, somber sound of the shelltrumpet used in religious services seems to be a thing of the Tu's eventful past. Now, the Tu people are making full use of the region's rich natural resources to make a better life for themselves. A Tu saying goes, “good luck comes with a visitor!” So now when the Tus entertain distant guests with their wellknown “Brotherhood Wine” and beautiful “Anzhao” music, they firmly believe that a new rainbow is rising in their homeland sky, promising a better future.

The Tibetan ethnicity has a long history and rich cultural heritage. The introduction of Tibetan Opera to the Xining region dates back 600 years.

Quite distinctive, Tibetan opera is a combination of song, dance and pantomime, using the various arts to develop the story's images and plot.

The repertoire of Tibetan opera includes the following well-known plays: Princess Wencheng, Prince Nuosong, A Girl Named Langsa, Sairijinima, Zhimeigengdeng, Zhuowasangmo, Baimawenba and Dunyuedunzhu. Tibetan Opera is something you will want to appreciate on your visit to Xining.

Also, Tangkar (Thang-ga) shouts the Tang crack, Tang noise, is Tibetan transliteration, is that one kind has the characteristic drawing artistic form alone in the Tibetan nationality culture. It similar to that the Han nationality area scroll painting, on much painting Yu cloth or paper, use silk fabrics to sew then mount, axis both ends adorns upper end under easy to have string suspension of abscissa axis, having the exquisite axis head. On the tableau cover have infertile silk thin tough silk and pair of strip colour bars. Tangkar painting Cheng relating to Buddhism mounts the queen, wants to ask lama to chant scriptures adding gold juice or cinnabar fingerprint holding, and covering in at the back lama too in general. Can't have a little type of weaving done by the tapestry method in fine silks and gold thread, embroidery and pearl Tangkar extreme. The Tangkar drawing is extremely complicated, is particular extremely with material, pigment is that natural ore plant raw material, colour and lustre are gorgeous, durable completely be not refundable, have rich snow region style. Art and science and technology are waiting for Tangkar much on content for Xizang religion, history, culture, are condensing belief and wisdom of Tibetan people, are recording Tibetan civilization, history and are loving ardently to incomparable emotion of Buddha ancestor and boundlessness to snow region hometown being developing, being leaving with a Tibetan people.

Tangkar is the Tibetan language transliteration, refer to use color satin to mount queen suspension enshrine and worship religion scroll painting. Subject matter content relates to history, politics of the Tibetan nationality, a lot of fields such as culture and social life, can be rated as Tibet's encyclopaedia. Be handed down from ancient times Tangkar is that Tibetan Buddhism and the benzene teach work, having become the new hot spot that the cultural relic collects here and overseas mostly.

Tangkar content is numerous, has the tableau reflecting the Tibetan nationality history and nation amorous feeling both and figure of the Buddha having much much posture state. Tibet Tangkar picture composition is rigorous, even, full-grown, changeful, technique of painting or drawing has the heavy color of fine brushwork mainly and line drawing in traditional ink and brush style gives first place to.

The Tangkar breed still has embroidery, brocade (barbola), type of weaving done by the tapestry method in fine silks and gold thread, applique and pearl Tangkar etc. in varied forms, except coloured drawing or pattern Tangkar and Tangkar printing. Embroidery Tangkar is to use various kinds of silk thread to embroider Cheng, all landscape pictures and scenes from human life, flowers and plants, feather, airy pavilions and pagodas, etc. may embroider equally. Brocade Tangkar is to take satin weave as field, use silk of number color to be a latitude, the room alternates a jacquard weave but the contexture, the sticky “pile up an embroidery” on fabric, therefore fitting. Applique Tangkar is with every color satin, prunes becoming the various personage and artwork, fabric is pasted. Type of weaving done by the tapestry method in fine silks and gold thread Tangkar is to use the method “relaxing the menstruation cutting off a latitude ”, to use various kinds of only what intense decoration of latitude. The gem uses Jinsi to compose in putting pearls and jade together between them, Jin Cai is keenly shining, appears dazzling especially on some decorative patterns as early as a riot of colours, with pearl jade. The type of weaving done by the tapestry method in fine silks and gold thread is that our country is proper that drawing is transplanted in upper silk fabric particular kind handicraft article. That these fabric Tangkar, texture rapid and intense but thick and solid, compose a picture is rigorous, the decorative pattern is delicate, the color is florid. Tangkar printing has two kinds, one kind is that the full colour register printing queen mounts, still having one kind is that the good first with painting image carves fully grown vulture board, on chiffon or fine cloth, then, the tinting mounts but is accomplished with ink seal. This Tangkar, stroke of a Chinese character are slender, art of using saber is powerful, colour being that ink dyes whose outside, Zhu draws whose inner , coherent, peculiar much. The pattern decorative pattern requires that the place and the organzine interweave, look at that if elephant of chasing, scene are elegant, the rich body decorates effect.

Huaer refers to the Xining people's favorite folk songs, sung to unburden themselves and express their happiness, misery, wishes, and ideals in life.

Huaer is a legacy from the oral tradition of the highland people, which include rich legends and stories. These songs were invented, refined and passed on in the course of daily life and work.

They provide first-hand source material for researchers of folk customs, aesthetic and the psychology of the local people.

The main theme of the Huaer songs is love. However, because the songs tell about various subjects, the singing style varies as well, Huaer songs are harmonious, evocative and admired by all.

On most of the traditional holidays, you can find Huaer festivals going on everywhere. You are welcome to participate and enjoy the flavor of this festival, which is unique to the highlands.