Guizhou Province is home to numerous ethnic minorities, 53 ethnic groups live here, 17 groups of them have stayed in Guizhou generation by generation, creating their own cultures, weaving their own costumes, and they have their own colorful festivals in Guizhou each year. As Guizhou is mountainous, besides the mountains make their own weather, they also make different Miao sub-groups have their own features. According to our record, there are more than 100 different Miao costumes for the different Miao sub-groups, but all of them call themselves as Hmong or Miao. Here are some of the major ones:
Miao Group, also called Hmong group.
Population and Distribution: There is a population of about 3.9684 million in Guizhou, accounting for 11.42% of the provincial population and 31.63% of the ethnic group population in the province. They mainly live in Qiandongnan prefecture, Qiannan, Qianxinan Autonomous Prefectures, and counties like Songtao and Yinjiang.
Culture and Customs: The Miao people are good at singing and dancing, and are famous for their flying songs and Lusheng dances. Their costumes are brightly colored, with unique silver ornaments. They celebrate festivals such as the Miao New Year, April 8th Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival.
Miao groups live in Southeastern Guizhou(Qiandongnan) look as below:
Shidong Style Miao:
Shidong style Miao live in the villages around Shidong, they are good at making silver ornaments, embroidery pieces, and indigo dyed cloth. What's more there is a famous rural market in Shidong, it is thought to be one of the most interesting markets in southwest China. Besides the rural market, it has two well known festivals: Sisters Meal festival and Dragon Canoe festival.
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Xijiang Style Miao:
Xijiang style Miao people live in the villages of Leishan county, the representative village is Xijiang qianhu village. The features of this group has long skirt, and silver horn, people basically call it silver horn, in fact it's called silver bird wings. There are around 12 festivals a year in this Miao subgroup, the famous festivals are called Guzang festival, Miao New year and Lusheng festival.
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Kongming Style Miao:
This style Miao people mainly live in the villages of Mountain moon, the cosume of Kongming village is this group's representative, therefore we name this Miao group as Kongming style.
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Zhouxi Style Miao:
This miao sub-group mainly live in the villages around Zhouxi township, they love making pleated skirts, embroidery pieces with silk threads, indigo dyed cloth and baby carrier. What's more, they are also well known for the local Zhouxi Lusheng festival, which often falls in February.
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Basha Style Miao:
They are also called Biasha. This Miao subgroup of people mainly live in the Congjiang, especially live in the villages around Basha Miao village, and Basha is the biggest Miao village of this style, that's the reason we name them with the name of Basha village.
The features of this Miao group are:
1. local miao men have a private gun hunt for wild animals, they called the gunner tribe in China;
2. Miao costumes in Lusheng festival are colorful;
3. Hair cut by a hand sickle;
4.Women's embroidery jacket and their beautiful leggings.
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Fuxing Style Miao:
Fuxing style Miao people mainly live the villages around Fuxing township of Danzhai county of Qiandongnan prefecture, but some of them live on the bordering villages of Danzhan county and Sandu county. They are not only good at making embroidery pieces, but also making detailed batik with honey wax and indigo water. Features of this group's costumes: shoulder part of women jacket and skirt, mixture of batik and embroidery pieces.
Their well known festivals: Liuyue liu festival and New rice tasting festival
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Gulong Style Miao:
Gulong style Miao mainly live in the villages around Gulong township, this Miao subgroup's costumes are red, although there are also embroidery pieces on the costumes, but the embroidery patterns are based on color red, too.
Their famous festivals: Lusheng festival, falls on the 27th day of the 9th lunar month, so it possibly is in October or November.
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Baibei Style Miao:
Baibei style Miao group mainly live in the villages around Xinghua township, and the biggest Miao village of them is called Baibei village, therefore we name this group with Baibei village.
This Miao group is famous for its batik, silk embroidery and hundred-bird jacket.
Baibei style Miao's festivals: Lusheng festival, and ancestor's worship festival which is also called Guzang festival, it happens every 13 years.
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Kaitang Style Miao:
Kaitang style Miao people mainly live in the villages on the border of Taijiang county and Kaili city, its center is called Kaitang township, which belongs to Kaili city. We name this group as Kaitang style Miao, this can make it easier to be remembered.
This subgroup is famous for is headdress decorated with silver ornaments, they are good at making pleated skirts, folded embroidery pieces and colorful baby carries.
Their well known festivals are: Lusheng festival and Chongyang festival
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Qiaogang Style Miao:
Qiaogang style Miao people live in the villages of Datang township of Leishan county in Qiandongnan Miao & Dong Autonomous prefecture. The biggest Miao village of this group is called Qiaogang, that's the reason we name them as Qiaogang style Miao group.
The features of Qiaogang style Miao:
1. Mini-skirt, this Miao group have amazing pleated skirts and typical headdress;
2. Embroidery jacket design of Qiaogang group can be dated back to 1,300 years ago;
3. Their rice storages above water;
Their well known festivals: Lusheng festival and Miao new year
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Pingyong Style Miao:
Pingyong style Miao group live in the villages around Pingyong township of Rongjiang county. This subgroup love making batik and embroidery pieces with silk cocoons and silk threads. They have amazing leggings and hundred-bird jacket full of embroidery pieces.
Famous festivals: Lusheng festival and Miao new year
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Miao groups live in other parts of Guizhou look as below:
Bouyei Ethnic Group
Population and Distribution: There are approximately 2.7982 million Bouyei people in Guizhou, accounting for 7.9% of the provincial population. They are mainly distributed in Qiannan and Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Prefectures.
Culture and Customs: The Bouyei people are known for their wine culture and woodcarving art. They brew Bouyei wine with a long history and unique craftsmanship. Their traditional festivals include the March 3rd Festival and the June 6th Festival.
Dong Ethnic Group
Population and Distribution: With a population of about 1.6286 million in Guizhou, accounting for 4.6% of the provincial population, they are mainly distributed in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture and Tongren City.
Culture and Customs: The Dong people are famous for their wooden architecture and Dong song traditions. Their wooden buildings are unique and complex in structure. Dong songs are an important way for them to spread culture and express emotions.
Tujia Ethnic Group
Population and Distribution: There are approximately 1.4303 million Tujia people in Guizhou, accounting for 4.1% of the provincial population. They are mainly distributed in Yanhe, Yinjiang, Sinan, Jiangkou and other counties.
Culture and Customs: The Tujia people are known for their Tujia stilted buildings. Their dances and songs are also very distinctive and famous in celebrations of harvests, weddings and other occasions.
Yi Ethnic Group
Population and Distribution: In Guizhou, the Yi ethnic group has a population of 843,600 to 834,500, accounting for 2.4% of the provincial population. They are mainly distributed in Weining, Bijie, Liupanshui and other counties and cities in Guizhou.
Culture and Customs: The Yi people have a long history and rich traditional culture. Their festivals include the Torch Festival, Yi New Year, and others.
