The Hezhe people celebrate their traditional festival, photo taken by Du Dianwen in 2000. [Photo/ China Photographers Association]

Hezhe ethnic group

Inhabiting Heilongjiang, the rivers provide the Hezhen people with rich sources of fish and other wild animals. Intelligent people do quite well in making use of those gifts. They live on fishing and hunting, travel by snow dog sleds, and wear clothes of fish and deer skin.

The Hezhen customs related to food are unique. Before drinking wine, they must dip chopsticks in the wine, cast it to the sky and sprinkle it on the land. This is an expression of respect for both the gods and their ancestors. They do not care for drinking tea, except the tea flavored with wild rose. Instead they prefer unboiled cold water.