"Maogusi"is an old form of dance popular among the Tujia people living the west of Hunan province of China.It is performed to remember their ancestors'achievements in cultivation,halieutics and hunting.
"Maogusi"means"Hunters covered with hair"in Tujia language.According to the legend,a Tujia young man went down the mountain to learn the farming skills and came back to teach the skills to the local people in the form of dancing.Since he came back so hurriedly that his clothing was torn by brambles,he had to cover himself with couch grasses.In order to remember him,the Tujia people will cover themselves with couch grasses and perform"Maogusi"dance at the festivals such as wish redeeming and ancestor worshiping.
The number of dancers in the"Maogusi"performance varies from 10 to 20.One plays the role of Maogusi in Tujia clothes to represent the ancestor,and others play the offspring.All of dancers are covered with couch grasses,with a straw hat wore and bare feet.The performance begins with the Waving Dance(Huishou Wu),and then"Maogusi"dancer will suddenly appear on the stage,and,at the same time,Waving Dance(Huishou Wu)will stop immediately to give the stage for the"Ancestor".The performance of"Maogusi"will last for 6 nights,during which period,actors should always speak and sing in Tujia language and dance with bold and unconstrained movements.
"Maogusi"is a kind of original dramatic dance with personae,dialogues and simple plot.Its unique dance has attracted attentions of both domestic and foreign dancing artists and is praised as the living fossil of the history of the Tujia ethnic group."Maogusi"was included into the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006.
