The Miao number approximately 8 million and are mainly found in Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces, with some in Hainan and Hubei. They live harmoniously with the Tujia, Boyei, Dong, Zhuang, Li and Han Chinese (see Tujia, culture of; Boyei (Buyi), culture of; Dong, culture of; Zhuang, culture of; Li, culture of). Much of their areas is hilly, mountainous or drained by several big rivers. Their houses are usually built of wood. They like to eat various sour foods like pickles, sour fish and meat, and they like wine. The Miao women excel in embroidery, weaving, batik and paper-cutting. The head ornaments and decorations they wear are often made of silver, symbolizing nobility and beauty. A Roman script was introduced for their spoken language in 1956. They have a rich oral literature. Folksongs, from a few lines to over 15,000, are very popular.
The lusheng, made of bamboo pipe, is their favourite wind instrument with a reed, so are lusheng dances which focus on footwork. Their culture is diversified. Different Miao communities celebrate various festivals. Even the same festivals may fall on different dates. The Miao New Year’s Day is celebrated on ‘Rabbit Day’ or ‘Ox Day’ on the lunar calendar, including beating drums, horse-racing and bull-fighting. Of the multi-ethnic autonomous prefectures and counties, Miaos account for a larger percentage in the leadership due to their larger population. Some autonomous counties were established in the 1980s and 1990s. The railways between Guiyang and Kunming, and between Hunan and Guizhou, have boosted the development of the Miao and other ethnic groups along the routes.
Further reading
Enwall, Joakim (1995). The Myth Becomes Reality: History and Development of the Miao Written Language, 2 vols. Stockholm East Asia Monographs, 5–6. Stockholm: Institute of Oriental Languages, University of Stockholm.
Schein, Louisa (2000). Minority Rules: The Miao and the Feminine in China’s Cultural Politics. Durham: Duke University Press.
HELEN XIAOYAN WU
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