Wutu dance for New Year blessing (2)

Tu minority people held a Wutu dance ceremony to exorcise evil spirit and pray for coming New Year in Tongren County in northwest China’s Qinghai Province on Dec. 22, 2013.

Wutu is another name for tiger in ancient Chinese. Wutu dance as an ancient ritual dance is still performed in winter in Qinghai, aiming to rid the village of demons and bring good fortune in New Year. And each dancer needs to apply a tiger-face make up and paints streaks on his body to look like tiger stripes.