Only after undergoing this ritual is a young Dao man recognized as having reached adulthood, with the moral character and wisdom needed to undertake significant responsibilities within the family and community. Importantly, from a spiritual perspective, Dao people believe that a man who has undergone the Tu Cai ceremony will be reunited with his ancestors in the afterlife. Once a spiritual name is given, Dao Dau Bang people only use it in traditional rituals. This sacred name is recorded in the family genealogy for descendants to use when worshipping their ancestors after the person’s passing.

The Tu Cai ceremony is typically held during the agricultural off-season at the end of the year and lasts about three days, depending on the family’s finances. About a week before the ceremony, the host family meticulously prepares offerings for the ritual. Shamans and initiates—typically boys and young men aged 9 to 17—perform various rituals to demonstrate their capabilities to the spirits and ancestors during the Tu Cai ceremony. Each ritual carries a meaning. For instance, stamping a passport (or Cap Sac ritual) and lighting a lamp symbolize the body’s purification before receiving a soul. The ritual of tying a coin to the applicant’s head and cutting the string reenacts the cutting of the umbilical cord at birth. Beyond spiritual rituals, the shaman teaches the youngster to perform worship ceremonies, and traditional dances, and play various ethnic musical instruments. The shaman imparts wisdom and moral teachings to prepare the youth for his role as a pillar of his family and community.