Sixth International Symposium on Chinese Tusi System and Culture Held in Western Hunan

The Sixth International Symposium on Chinese Tusi System and Culture was held in Yongshun County on Oct. 22, 2016. The Symposium was attended by over 130 experts and scholars from countries such as the USA, South Korea and Japan as well as China’s 13 provinces (cities/regions) including Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi, Yunnan, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Chairman of Association for Tusi Culture of China Li Shiyu and President of the Chinese Society on the History of Ming Dynasty Shang Chuan were present at the event. 

The two-day event received 125 related academic papers in total. 

The Subcommittee on Tusi Culture of Association for Yan Huang Culture of China awarded a plaque with the words of “Research Center/Base for Tusi System and Culture of Subcommittee on Tusi Culture of Association for Yan Huang Culture of China” on. Li Liangpin, chairman of the Presidium of Subcommittee on Tusi Culture, initiated a proposal to donate books to Yongshun’s “Chinese Tusi Culture Database”. 

The event focused on a series of topics such as “study on Tusi cultural relics, literature and science”, “national identity and local research of Tusi”, “study on Tusi system and culture”. The participating experts and scholars delivered keynote speeches at main venue and had group discussions at sub-venues on how to enhance research, protection and utilization on Tusi cultural relics. They conducted field investigations to Laosicheng’s important sites including living area, government office, culture and education area and tomb area. A Tusi banquet and performances on intangible cultural heritage items made by Tujia people such as Maogusi dance, hand-waving dance and custom of crying marriage were presented to them. 

The Symposium was co-hosted by Hunan Bureau of Cultural Relics, Jishou University, Subcommittee on Tusi Culture of Association for Yan Huang Culture of China, and the People’s Government of Yongshun County, and undertaken by the School of History and Culture and the Administration Office of Laosicheng Site of Yongshun.