Miao Nationality

Brilliant Mountain Flowers on Borderland

Are you interested in folk customs or primitive belief？ How about a tour to the Miao villages in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture， Guizhou？ Exploring these Miao villages far from the madding crowd， you’ll find many older parts of this area with a different view and slower pace. There are a lot to see if you have an eye for detail. Those Miao villages serve as the cultural gem shining in a beautiful natural cradle. Local people， simple and contented， have not changed their lives much over hundreds of years. They eat what they plant and hunt； they feel blessed to be where they are； and they wear what they make and find. The well-preserved culture is the thing that brings travellers here.

A beckoning cultural feast in Xijiang

The Miao nationality is one of the most famous and populous minority groups in China. Before the Spring and Autumn Period （770 BC-476 BC）， this area was known as a place where southern barbarians lived and partly belonged to the Chu Kingdom. Nowadays， the Xijiang Miao Village where they gather is embraced by winding mountains and meandering rivers， with fields and dams dotting around the landscape. It is these wonderful mountains and rivers that have bred the Miao nationality who have added luster to the splendid Chinese culture.

As you enter the Xijiang Miao Village， you will be warmly welcomed with the road-block drinking， a local way to welcome friends from afar. From the foot of a hill to the gate of the village， there are usually twelve barriers with dressed Miao youths standing here to offer a toast to you. After the welcoming ceremony， you will see a continuous row of wooden-stilted houses spreading in the hilly area. There are distinctive functions of these houses： The upper layer is used to store the provisions； people live in the middle； and fowls are sheltered under the house. Wandering around the Xijiang Miao Village maybe is the best way to appreciate the local life because this largest Miao village in China was reputed as the living fossil of Miao’s history and traditional culture in history.

The silver ornaments of Xijiang Miao Village have won wide recognition in the world. Their bold and unrestrained shapes are well combined with their delicate and exquisite workmanship. Once you catch sight of these silver ornaments， you may find it hard to move your eyes away. Miao girls’ love for silver ornament comes from their natural instincts. The headwear of Miao includes silver horn， silver fan， silver hat， silver handkerchief， silver hairpin， silver pin， etc. When the Miao girls get all dolled up and gather together， a beautiful silver world may come into view.

Costumes of Miao are well-known for their brilliant colors， complicated adornments and profound cultural connotations. The patterns on the costumes， which carry a historical mission to pass down the Miao culture， function as the written characters. However， as time passes by， the specific meanings presented by these designs have also taken on a mysterious color， keeping the unique charm of Miao costume as well.

The patterns on Miao costumes are mostly originated from the living creatures or objects in daily life. These ideographic patterns can serve as an expression or certain language， as well as be used to distinguish one clan or branch from another. The five ways of making clothes， namely， weaving， knitting， sewing， piecing and tailoring， all can be found in the Miao costumes. As for colors， Miao people prefer the colors showing strong contrast and lay emphasis on the richness of colors and the sense of gorgeousness.

Homeland of folk songs and dances

Langde Miao Village located at the foot of a mountain is one of the most fascinating Miao villages in Kaili. If you really want to experience the authentic folk songs and dances， then please go visit the beckoning Langde Miao Village.

The Miao enjoys a rich tradition of songs and dances which are parts of China’s historical and cultural heritage. On some important occasions， for example， receiving distinguished guests， Miao people will put on their dresses to perform their amazing folk songs and dances， such as bronze drum dance， Lusheng （a reed-pipe wind instrument） dance and wooden drum dance. The Lusheng dance is a unique musical performance of the Miao ethnic minority during nearly every celebration， such as Miao’s New Year， Sister’s Meal Festival and the Four-Eight Festival. While playing the Lusheng， they dance in demanding patterns， and sing to each other.

In addition， the drum dance alone has nearly ten varieties， with wide distribution and rich content， displaying the profound history of Miao’s drum dance.

Dances of Miao display and carry forward its glamorous history and culture. Despite many hardships， they have still maintained their optimism， open-mindedness and courage， which are fully demonstrated in their dances. The poetic creative ideas and inspirations on the stage all come from their real life. In addition， the diverse elements presented in modern dances also reflect the development road of Miao’s dances.

Basha： The last tribe of gunner in China

The Miao people enjoy a long history of more than 5，000 years which is recorded in the ancient Chinese books. The ancestors of Miao can be traced back to the Chiyou tribe living in the central plain of China in the era of primitive society. And Basha Miao Village， 7 kilometers from Congjiang County， is a hamlet where ancient culture is most completely protected. And this pristine group is quite different from other Miao groups in terms of clothing and daily life.

As the ancestors of Basha were frontline troops， a strong sense of precaution inherited from their ancestors kept this village isolated from the outside world. Still today， the men in Basha dress like ancient warriors， wearing guns and knives every day， which is historically regarded as a sign of bravery. Once the men reach adulthood， their hair would be shaved； only a small strand of hair is left on the top of the head， which is twisted and knotted.

The inhabitants of Basha Miao Village share a worship of trees as they believe that their life has been blessed by the God of Trees. In addition， most major festivals and events are held under the trees. If people get married， the witnesses are two intertwining trees. When a baby is born， the elders will plant a tree for him or her. When people die， a tree will be cut down and made into a coffin which continues to stay with their owners. The religious belief has long bestowed a mysterious veil on the ethnic group. Traditionally， Miao people believe that some giant or odd-shaped objects in nature have a spirit， so they worship them with wine and meat. Typical examples of these objects are megalith （grotesque rocks）， caves， towering trees and wooded mountains.

Besides， people here believe that some natural phenomena or objects are avatars of gods or ghosts. The Miao language doesn’t make a distinction between “God” and “Ghost”. However， people in Basha Miao Village treat the holy spirits and the evil ones quite differently. They welcome and escort the holy ones and offer sacrifices with sincerity， while they would play tricks with the devils to keep them far away， even by force.