Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

 Located at the foot of Leigong Mountain northeast from Leishan County in Qiandongnan Miao and Yao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village consist more than 10 natural villages, which is the largest Miao Village in China and the world. The silverware in Miao Village is very famous for its refined making skills. Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is a well-preserved place about Miao and it is also a good place to experience and understand the history of Miao. Like an open-air museum, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village exhibits a developing history of Miao and provide a big grandstand to study the traditional cultural of Miao.

Folk Culture

As the largest Miao Village, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village keeps the deep and thorough Miao Culture. The architecture, clothing, silverware, language, food and traditional customs in Miao Village are not only typical but also well-preserved. The words used now are the universal language. Although the Chinese language is the necessary tool to communicate with the outside world, the language used between Miao is still the Miao Language.

Sing and Dance

Xijiang is regarded as the hometown for reed pipe. People of all ages will dress up and gather at the Lusheng Square, stepping in a happy mood with the lively Lusheng music on lunar calendar June and October. This time you can feel the high spirits of Xijiang people and can see their charming dance. The harvest dance, Lusheng dance and many other dances also can be seen. All the people sit together like one family to eat meat and drink wine. At this point, you will feel that life is simple, happy and free.

Hanging House

Because of the large population and less farmland, in order to not occupy fertile land and build more houses, the people in Miao Village try their best to build houses near the mountains. The Wooden Hanging House, divided into ground Hanging House and slope Hanging House, is the main architectural form. The bottom of the house is used for storing tools of production, poultry, and livestock or used for toilet. The second floor is used as a living room, bedroom and kitchen. A place called Beauty Leaning is built out the second floor for shade, embroidery and rest, which is special feature in the Miao buildings. The third floor is mainly used for storing grain, feed and living materials.

Fengyu Bridge

In addition to the Hanging House, the Fengyu Bridge is one of the important buildings in Miao Village. In order to improve the geomantic conditions and facilitate the dwellers’ life, most Miao Villages build Fengyu Bridges near the villages to shelter from wind and rain. Five Fengyu Bridges are built in Xijiang. Due to the previous bridges built by wood, the Fengyu Bridges are built by the mixed structure of cement and wood, whose defense capability has been greatly increased.