Oroqen, one of the 56 ethnic groups in China. It is mainly distributed in Oroqen Autonomous Banner, Zhalantun City, Molidawa Banner and Arong Banner in the northeast of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tahe, Huma, Xunke, Jiayin County and Heihe City in Heilongjiang Province. The word "Oroqen" has two meanings: "people who use reindeer" and "people on the mountain". The Oroqen people have their own language, and Chinese is widely used. Believe in Shamanism and worship natural objects. Before the founding of New China, the Oroqen nationality was still in a primitive society, and there was no social division of labor within the society, only the natural division of labor among men, women and children. Social production is dominated by collective hunting, supplemented by gathering and fishing. After 1950s, with the support of the government, the Oroqen people began to go out of the forest to engage in farming and industry.

Oroqen (OR)

The material life of the Oroqen people is very distinctive. In addition to eating meat and wearing clothes, the former residence of "immortal living" is also the creation of hunting culture. "Immortal Column" is similar to a half-open umbrella, consisting of more than 30 tree stems, covered with birch bark in summer and animal skins in winter. Can be quickly built and dismantled at any time. The top, right and left sides of the entrance of the "Immortal Column" are specially designed for people to sit and lie down, but there are strict regulations. There is a bonfire burning all day in the center of the "Immortal Column", which is used for cooking and heating. Birch boxes with gods are hung on the trunk behind the "fairy column", and women are generally not allowed to touch them. The Oroqen people basically practice monogamy. Strict intermarriage outside the clan is carried out, and most of the intermarried clan members are closely related. There is no excessive difference in the status of men and women in the family, only the right to inherit property generally belongs to men. Two generations of a family live in more places. If the population is too large, it is often the eldest son who gets married and sets up a "fairy column" near his parents' residence. It turns out that women are not allowed to have children in the fairy column. They must set up a delivery room in the distance, and men are not allowed to enter and approach, and they can't go home until after the full moon. In the past, people were usually buried in the sky (that is, wind burial) after death. After settling down the mountain, it is usually buried.

Wedding and funeral customs: The Oroqen people are monogamous, and intermarriage is strictly prohibited. People of different generations cannot get married. Children's marriage is arranged by their parents, and there was no free love before liberation. The marriage of Oroqen people has to go through four procedures: proposing marriage, recognizing relatives, giving bride price and welcoming relatives. In the traditional Oroqen marriage, the custom of finger-belly marriage was once popular.

National food custom

In the past, all kinds of animal meat have been the staple food. Usually one or two meals are eclipsed, and the meal time is not fixed. In recent years, there are many varieties of rice and flour in the daily diet of Oroqen people, and bread jiaozi is also very common.