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| Langde Miao Ethnic Minority Village |
 As one of the most fascinating ethnic minorities in China, groups of Miao people are everywhere in southwest China, mostly in Guizhou Province. But, if you really want to experience the authentic ethnic cultures, go visit Langde Miao Ethnic Minority Village in Kaili. About 50 kilometers north of Kaili, it's no doubt a beckoning tourist village.
Miao Ethnic Minority is both mysterious and exciting. The Miao people are identified by their dialect, dress, location and other customes. In dress we have Long Skirt Miao, Short Skirt Miao, Black Miao, Flowery Miao and Long Horned Miao. By location there are River Miao and Mountain Miao. The villagers in Langde wear long skirts, hence they are "Long Skirt Miao". The Miao style houses "Diaojiaolou" and its featured and creative festivals will cause you spell bound.
Around 500 villagers in ten families, the Langde Miao Village is considered small. Members of the Miao Ethnic Minority, they adopt common habits and customes. Entering the village, visitors would find themselves literarily immersed in works of art.
Welcoming Ceremony: You find it amidst hills and bound by waters. On arriving at the entrance you could behold some beautifully dressed girls blocking your path. It's a welcome party and guests are allowed in after drinking their twelve courses of way-blocking wines -- a most ceremonious etiquette. Here, people are wearing colorful festival dress. Women wear gorgeous and complex silver jewelry, and some young ladies adorn silver horned coronal on their heads; men robe themselves in blue-black, with chuddar of the same color covered their heads. Each man carries a Lusheng (a bamboo-made music instrument) and stands in line to play the Lusheng pipe music.
Miao-style House (Diaojiulou): After the welcoming ceremony, you walk into the village. The Miao-style Houses are of wood and high above ground. Each has several wood pillars as support. Therefore, it is called "Diaojiaolou" in Chinese. Homes are usually two to four storeys. Upper layer is used to store the provisions; people live in the middle; while fowls are sheltered under the house. An ethnic minority museum was built in this village where some ancient ethnic cultural relics are exhibited. Seen from a distance, the whole village looks like a mirage.
Festivals: Festivals are occasions for the Miao people to get together and show off their culture. They have many traditional festivals all year round. But Lusheng Festival, Sisters' Festival and Dragon Boat Festival are best known. Miao girls'costumes are used in their dance, during which you could hear their silver ornaments twinkling lightly.
After enjoying the wonderful performance, you may be invited to their homes by the local people. Of course, if you still want to linger here, guest rooms on Diaojiaolou are ready.
Another village, Nanhua Miao Ethnic Minority Village, is the counterpart of Langde, about twenty kilometers from Kaili. Either will bring visitors unexpected pleasant surprise. |
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