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 The
Tu live in northeast China and believe that
they are descended from white feathers that
were left behind by a flock of cranes. The Tu
are most likely descended from the Mongolian
people, and their language is essentially a form
of the Mongolian language. Living
in north central China, the Tu are found primarily in Eastern
Qinghai Province.
There are two types of marriage in the Tu
and Mongol culture. First, parents arrange
a marriage between their children and the bride
goes to live with the groom and his family.
The second kind of marriage is called a "Marriage
to Heaven." This occurs when a young unmarried woman reaches the age
of fifteen. Her parents perform a ceremony that
will "marry" her to heaven. This permits
the young woman to have different sexual partners
while still living with her own family. If she
bears children, there is no shame, and the entire
community will care for them.
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