Performers from the Tujia ethnic group participate in a large-scale stage performance "ti ma shen ge" at Baofeng lake, or treasure-peak lake, situated in Suoxiyu Natural Reserve of Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province on Friday, September 12, 2008. [Photo: cnsphoto]

A large-scale stage performance "ti ma shen ge" that highlights Tujia ethnic customs and culture was presented to the public on Friday night when the Seventh Hunan International Tourism Festival was officially launched at Zhangjiajie, a renowned tourist destination of the province.

The performance, adapted from the stories of the Tujia ethnic group in Xiangxi, in the northwestern part of Hunan Province, presents the ethnic origins, involvement in wars and life of the Tujia people, Xinhua News Agency reports. These stories were added to the country's cultural heritage list last April.

Ti ma, in Tujia language, means a worshipper of God who presides over an annual ritual for devotees. "ti ma shen ge" is name of the song chanted by the group throughout the ritual.

This year, the one-week long tourism festival will focus on ethnic diversity, culture and beautiful landscapes as well as on Hunan Province itself.