The Tajik have their own language which has no written version. Instead they use the Uygur-style for written messages.
All languages spoken by the Chinese Tajik of Taxkorgan County are Indo-European languages related to Persian (Iranian) and include Sarikoli which is not spoken outside of western China, Wakhi, Tajik and Shugni. The language of the so-called "Tajiks" in China is actually more closely related to Pashto (spoken by Pashtuns, a major ethnic group in Afghanistan and Pakistan) than it is related to the language spoken by most people who are called Tajiks.
Only a small number of Chinese Tajiks speak Wakhi. Wakhi is mainly the language of the Wakhan region, the narrow arm of Afghanistan that extends eastward toward the border with the PRC.
Children receive tuition in the Uyghur language, which is the main language and trading language of the area (Xinjiang).
The Traditional Tajik Culture and even Religion centers around the Mountain Eagle, a creature throughly entwined with the Tajik. The Tajik's main dance is the Eagle Dance, which mimics the movements of the Eagle and is practiced and learned at a very early age.
Tajik Music involves the piccolo flute, which is traditionally made of the long bones of a Mountain Eagle. On holidays Tajiks traditionally engage in singing, dancing and horse racing and other sport such as seizing sheep.
A Full and complete Map of China (PRC) identifying all Language Areas big and small in all Provinces and Autonomous Regions of China.
Map includes Turkic Languages (Uygur, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Salar & Uzbek), Mongolian Language and Sub-Divisions (Mongol, Tu, Daur and Dongxian), Tungusic Peoples (Oroqen, Evenki and Xibe) and Languages, Korean, Tajik (Tadzhik), Mon-Khmer (Kawa + Puman (or Pulang)), Hui, Uygur (Uighur), Tibeto-Bhurman Languages, Tai and Miao, Yao and She' Language Area's and Borders. Main Area's and sub-divisions of Han Languages (Northern Mandarin, Eastern Mandarin, South-Western Mandarin and Cantonese) further included. This color-coded ethno-linguistic Map (of 1967 AD) identifies at a glance most ethnic minority regions in China
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Tajik traditional dress is simple for men and colorful for women. Women like colorful one piece dresses with strings attached. Usually over this a vest is worn. Women wear a round embroidered cap or in case they are Married women wear back aprons, and their embroidered cotton-padded hats also have back flaps.
Women usually tie a white square towel on top of their hats when they go out, but brides like red ones.
Traditional Dress :
Traditional Tajik houses are square and flat-roofed structures of wood and stone with solid and thick walls of rock and sod. Ceilings, with skylights in the center for light and ventilation, are built with twigs on which clay mixed with straw is plastered. Doors, usually at corners, face east. Since the high plateau is often assailed by snowstorms, the rooms are spacious but low. Adobe beds that can be heated and which are known throughout China as "Kang" are built along the walls and covered with felt. Senior family members, guests and juniors sleep on different sides of the same room. When herdsmen graze their herds in the mountains, they usually live in felt tents or mud huts.
In the past, all Tajik Families shared life living, eating and sleeping within one big room. The Family Members slept on long beds along two of the walls. Today, only the communities in and around Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County still keep this tradition. Other Tajiks have seen an improvement in living standards and now reside in more modern houses with separate rooms for smaller family units within the bigger family.
Festivals of the Tajik Ethnic Group :
The Tajik spring festival falls is called Nawruz. It falls in March and marks the beginning of a new year, which is the most important occasion for the Tajik people. In Tajik language Nawruz has the meaning of “cleaning up the smoke and dust”. Every family will move their furniture outside, clean up their home and paint beautiful patterns on the walls as a symbol of good luck for both people and heads.
Early on the morning of the festival, a child member of the family will lead a yak into the main room of the house, make it walk in a circle, spray some flour on it, give it some pancake and then lead it out. After that, the head of the village will go around to bring greetings to each household and wish them a good harvest. Then families will exchange visits and festival greetings. Women in their holiday best, standing at the door, will spray flour on the left shoulder of guests to wish them happiness.
The beginning of the Fasting Month (or Ramadan) marks the end of a year. In Tajik Religion however there is no fasting, only a remembrance and festival.
The Lantern Festival is the grandest festival for the Tajik people. The festival falls on the
first two days of the forth month of the Islamic calendar.
In advance of the Festival Days, traditionally, every Tajik family will make torches coated with butter. At dusk, the family members will get together, have a roll call and each will light a big torch attached to a long pole. This large Pole is then planted on the roof of the house, symbolizing brightness and happiness. The whole family will sit around the torches and enjoy their festive dinner after saying their prayers. At night, every household will light a big torch tied to a long pole and planted on the roof. Men and women, young and old, will dance and sing through the night under the bright light of the torches.
The Islamic Corban festival and the Roza Heit Festival are other important occasions for the Tajik people.
Sound Bonus: Tajik Folk Song of Tajik-Farsi & Persian Tradition "zafar_ajjubi_bimiram". By Barno is Hakova.
Social Life and Customs :
In Traditional Tajik Families, three generations of a Tajik family live under the same roof. The male parent is the master of the family. In the past, before 1949 AD Women had no right to inherit property and were under the strict control of their father-in-law and husband.
In the past, the Tajiks seldom had intermarriages with other ethnic groups both due to their remote location, non-existant infra-structure in the region, and religious and tribal customs. Marriages outside of the local Tribe, if any, were confined to those with Uygurs and Kirgizs, the other two ethnic groups within the immediate vicinity.
At the Time, it took at least a week to reach Kashgar over bad roads, there was no opportunity for education and young people had no say in their futures. Thus, most Marriages were completely decided by the parents. Except for siblings, people could marry anyone regardless of seniority and kinship. In hard times girls were often married of to gain the Bridal Tribute, or else merely in exchange for a cash of food fro the remaining family.
Due to the seclusion of the Taxkorgan County and Tajik Tribes marriages between cousins were very common. After the young couple was engaged, the boy's family had to present betrothal gifts such as gold, silver, animals and clothes to the girl's family. All relatives and friends were invited to the wedding ceremony. Accompanied by his friends, the groom went to the bride's home, where a religious priest presided over the nuptial ceremony. He first sprayed some flour on the groom and bride, and then asked them to exchange rings tied with strips of red and white cloth, eat some meat and pancake from the same bowl and drink water from the same cup, an indication that they would from that time on live together all their lives. The following day, escorted by a band, the newlyweds rode on horseback to the groom's home, where further celebrations were held. The festivities would last three days until the bride removed her veil.
Today's weddings among the Tajik have been slighly modernized. Partners are no longer exclusively selected by family elders but couples can meet independently and choose their partners more freely. Other old customs remain strong among the Tajike, especially at Taxkorgan Town.
Modern Weddings generally follow the old traditions, wedding gifts are still the norm however core families resulting fom marriage have more freedom and may move off to live together in a sperate home.
Weddings are important for an extended family if not the whole town.
On the first day of the ceremony, the bride and the bridegroom proclaim their marriage and hold separate banquets with their own families lasting three days.
On the fifth day, the bridegroom, accompanied by friends and relatives, goes to his bride's home. An imam stands before the newlyweds to ask for their opinions. If both agree, they must drink a cup of water, and eat a bit of meat, cake and salt. Only then are they allowed to be together.
After that, the grand celebration begins. People sing and dance until midnight. Then, the newlyweds ride on the same horse to the bridegroom's home. On the sixth day, the family members of the bride spend one night at the bridegroom's home. That marks the end of the wedding.
As with all Ethnic Groups within China, including the Han, a Childbirth is a major event for the Tajiks. Traditionally boys are prefered as they are the ones who are able to perform the hard work needed to sustain an entire family, especially in hard times.
Even today, when a boy is born, three shots will be fired (into the air) or three loud cheers shouted to wish him good health and a promising future; a broom will be placed under the pillow of a newborn girl in the hope that she will become a good housewife. Relatives and friends will come to offer congratulations and spray flour on the baby to express their auspicious wishes.
The Tajik people are very social and polite. They pay great attention to etiquette. Juniors must greet seniors and, when relatives and friends meet, they will shake hands and the men will pat each other's beard. Even when strangers meet on the road, they will greet each by putting the thumbs together and saying "May I help you?".
In Tajik custom, when greeting eachother, men will bow with the right hand on the chest and women will bow with both hands on the bosom.
Guests visiting a Tajik family must not stamp on salt or food, and must respect the animals and treat them well. Maltreatment of animals is regarded as cowardly, as well irresponsible due to the importance of the animals in sustaining the Families' lifes.
In the Past there was a strict rule that Guests must never break order in the herd by driving on horseback through the host's flocks.
When dining at the host's, the guests must not drop left-overs on the ground and must remain in their seats until the table is cleaned. Mis-use or spoiling of food is considered to be very impolite.
It would be a breach of etiquette to take off the hat while talking to others, unless an extremely grave problem is being discussed.
Men wear collarless long jackets with belts, on top of which they add sheepskin overcoats in cold weather. Apart from this the Tajik Men wear a distinct and large, usually black woolen Hat made of Yak fur or Black Velvet. Sometimes they are embroidered. Winter hats have Flaps that can be turned down to protect ears and cheeks from wind and snow. In summer the Men may change to caps for convenience. Men further wear collarless long jackets with belts, on top of which they add sheepskin overcoats in cold weather.
Over the centuries, the Tajiks have adapted their dressing, eating and living habits to the highland conditions.
Both men and women wear felt stockings, long soft sheepskin boots with yak skin soles, which, light and durable, are suitable for walking mountain paths.
Diet / Food :
The Tajiks are dependent on their animals and agriculture for their livelyhood. Well adapted to the rugged environment of their beforehand extremely secluded mountain enclave they traditionally had to make full use of all natural resources available. Thus, in the Pamir Mountains, the Tajik people live on stock husbandry as well as agriculture. The majority are involved in breeding sheep, goats, yaks, horses, and camels. Tajik farms grow Qingke (highland barley), wheat, corn and pea. The Tajik like to eat meat, and cook rice or pie with milk. For religious reasons, they never eat pork or dog, donkey or horse meat, nor do they eat any animals that die naturally. In the past meat was considered a rare delicacy.
The Tajiks like dancing, especially the circle dancing, in which all the participants form a
big circle and the dancing is usually accompanied by hand drum and eagle flute playing.
People whistles, hand clap and cheer from time to time, making the atmosphere very
exciting. Since the Tajiks regard eagles as symbol of heroes, the most splendid posture in
men’s dancing is to imitate the circling and sailing of eagles. Women usually turn gently
and vigorously their hands inwards and outwards over their heads while dancing. The
favorite musical instrument of the Tajik people is “eagle flute” and “repupu” (a six-stringed
plucked musical instrument). The traditional “eagle flute” is made of the wing bone of eagles, which
can produce clear, sonorous and resounding sound.
The Tajik Eagle dance is in essence a "macho" affair and hence is a traditional dance mainly intended fto be danced by men. Eagle dance is a traditional self-entertaining folk dance of Tajik ethnic group and the stage is not confined by space. People can dance wherever they want, like a field and courtyard, the street,in front of the house and so on.
Naturally, the Eagle Dance steps must be consistent with the melody of eagle flutes, mainly 5/8, 6/8 and 7/8 beats. Basic movements of the dance are: the waist bends slightly, the right arm extends forward with fingers slightly upwards, the left arm bends backwards at the waist with fingers spreading apart. The feet swirl by 360 degrees along with the flute and drum music. Then, the dancer retracts the right arm to the back and extent the left arm forwards. No matter in swirling or advancing, two shoulders tremble up and down along with the melody's rhythm.
There are also eagle dances for both men and women, and even for groups. In festival or wedding occasions, men and women would dance together whenever the eagle flute and hand drum are heard. Eagle dances also include "horse dance, archery dance and knife dance". They are also accompanied by eagle flute and tambourine. The steps are almost same with that of eagle dance. At the start, one dancer of excellent skills would dance at first, followed by others.
Before the arrival of Islam in the tenth century, some Tajiks were Christians. Most others still held ancient animistic beliefs in which the Eagle played an important role. In the ancient beliefs of The Tajiks the Eagle is regarded the King and Ruler of all local birds.
For the Tajiks the Eagle has become a symbol for loyalty, kindness, courage, firmness and justice.
The importance of the Eagle in local religious and spiritual beliefs is reflected in the folk dances of the Tajiks in which there are lots of imitations of eagles flying and circling in the sky.
In addition there is even a musical instrument called eagle.
In Tajik myths and folk tales Heroes are those who are kind, broad-minded, amiable and ready to help others , in which case they are often referred to as "Eagles".
The Christian Tajiks of the 10Th Century had been converted by Nestorian missionaries starting in the seventh century. The Apostolic Church of the East - which had eight million Christians throughout Asia - was destroyed, and all trace of Christianity disappeared throughout the Region, being dominated from the 10Th to 12Th centuries by Turkic and Mongol Tribes.
More recent attempts by Christian Missionaries to reconvert Tajik's to Christianity have met considerable resistance. In the 1920's Missionaries reported: "Workers intending to scatter the gospel seed in this country ought to know beforehand that their task is not to gather harvest in joy but to sow in tears." It was a daunting task incredible harsh surroundings. Lately Christian groups in Tajikistan have been attempting to reach the Chinese Tajiks. however language problems have so far thwarted communications at the Chinese Tajik speak their own dialects.
No resulting Christian conversions have been reported. Tajiks, proud of their ethnic history, adhere to their own culture and faith.
The Tajiks are Shi'ite Muslims. The Tajiks are one of the few groups in China who adhere to the Shi'a sect of Islam. The Tajik Supreme Religious Leader is Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili branch of Islam.
The Tajik's have few or no mosques. Instead, they meet in their homes once a week for prayer and worship. In general hey have less religious activities than other Muslim Groups, and no they have no Ramadan or Pilgrimage to Mekka ("Haj"). Some of the older people worship at least one time per day, however most Tajiks only worship and clebrate their religion during the festivals.
The religious head of each Clan is called Ishan. Each household follows the Clan Ishan. According to ancient Chinese Islamic Organization (See: History of islam in China) the Ishan has a heridtary position. Often the Son will ascend in succession.
