土家族聚居地黔、渝、鄂、湘接壤之处，古属南楚疆域，亦为楚文化滥觞之域，是中华民族长江流域文化杰出代表之一。摆手活动是土家族最大的民俗文化活动，也是土家族区别与其他民族的显著标志之一。本文首先立足于舞蹈文化人类学田野调查和舞蹈形态分析方法的实际运用，对湘西龙山、鄂西来风、渝东秀山地区的原生态摆手舞进行全方位的考察：对“一手材料”的真切占有和文献的整合研究，继而，运用民俗文化学的专业操作技术型方法（分类法、分析及综合法、比较法和统计法），总结分析不同地区中摆手舞各自的特点和民族艺术特色的共性传承。在此基础上对不同区域文化中土家摆手舞的继承和衍变进行文化阐释和对比研究，梳理摆手舞作为一个独立的文化概念在其土家族文化圈中运用的布局和发展，发掘摆手舞在地理、历史、文化环境中的地位和价值。以上便是本文前三章的内容。但本文的立场重要是在“当下”为前提，凸显摆手舞研究领域的当代性与现实价值，辩证古今历史中当代遗存的少数民族民遗性舞蹈的古意再生和时代重塑。而以此为契机，本文在最后一章进一步对土家族摆手舞当下的保护与发展进行探讨，也是本文的奢望之一。

Tujia nationality lives on the border of Guizhou, Chongqing, Hubei and Hunan province. In ancient times the region belonged to the Southern Chu and it was a place of the origin of the Chu culture. This place is one of the outstanding representatives of the culture in the Chinese Yangtze River basin. Tujia Baishou is the largest folk culture activity. It is a significant difference between Tujia nationality and other nations. First of all, the thesis is based on the practical application of the field research in cultural anthropology of dance and the analytical method in the form of dance, omni-directional study about the original Baishou Dance in the region of Xiangxi Longshan, Erxi Laifeng and Yudong Xiushan, comprehensive research of the first hand resources and documents. And then, using the professional operation method in the folk culture, the author summarizes and analyses the character of Baishou Dance in different areas and common characteristics of national art heritage. Based on these, the author states the heritage and changes about the Baishou Dance in different areas, and explore the status and value of Baishou dance in geographical, historical and cultural environment. These are the content of the first three chapters of this paper. However, an important prerequisite for the thesis is "present”. The author indicates the present value of Baishou dance research and the renaissance of the minority dances. On this basis, the author further explores the immediate protection and development about Baishou Dance of Tujia nationality in the final chapter. This is one of the aspirations of the thesis.