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104-510: The lusheng is used primarily in the rural regions of southwestern China (e.g. Guizhou , Guangxi , and Yunnan ) and in nearby countries such as Laos and Vietnam, where it is played by such ethnic groups as the Miao ( Hmong -Hmyo-Hmao-Hmu-Xong) and Dong . The lusheng has special cultural significance in the Miao regions due to its role in marriage and religious ceremonies. At the lusheng festival (September 27–29), performers often dance or swing

208-448: A Miao man picks his mate, he will play lusheng songs like "asking for a flower belt" and ask for a love token from the woman. In the Miao religion , they believe lusheng is a spiritual instrument (an animism belief) and has a certain effect on the gods. Between the beginning of spring and autumn harvest, lusheng playing is prohibited. During that period, Miao people will wipe the lusheng clean and tie it with red cloth, plugging

312-661: A San Miao ( 三苗 , Three Miao) kingdom around Dongting Lake . It was defeated by Yu the Great . Another Miao kingdom may have emerged in Yunnan around 704 BC that was subjugated by the Chinese in the 3rd century BC. In 2002, the Chu language has been identified as perhaps having influence from Tai–Kam and Miao–Yao languages by researchers at University of Massachusetts Amherst . The Miao were not mentioned again in Chinese records until

416-425: A large number of rivers with continuous flow, and there are 984 rivers with a length of more than 10 kilometers. Guizhou Province has a large number of rivers, with 984 rivers that are over 10 kilometers long. In 2002, the runoff volume of Guizhou's rivers reached 114.52 billion cubic meters. The mountainous characteristics of Guizhou's rivers are evident, with most rivers having broad valleys and gentle water flow in

520-473: A low income. On the contrary, Miao men take up jobs that require more physical strengths and less visibility in public, such as engineering roads, building hotels, boats and pavilions. These jobs generally provide a more stable and profitable source of income. The above example of unequal division of labor demonstrates, in spite of socioeconomic changes in China, men are still considered the financial backbone of

624-505: A major mountain tourism province, a national ecological civilization pilot zone, and an inland open economic pilot zone. The representative historical culture is "Qian Gui culture"(黔贵文化). In addition, Guizhou is also one of the birthplaces of ancient Chinese humans and ancient Chinese culture , with ancient humans living on this land since about half a million years ago. Guizhou is rich in natural, cultural and environmental resources. Its natural industry includes timber and forestry, and

728-458: A man of her choice. However, like many other cultures in Asia, there are strict cultural practices on marriage, one being clan exogamy . It is a taboo to marry someone within the same family clan name, even when the couple are not blood related or from the same community. In contrast to the common practice of the right of succession belonging to the firstborn son, the Miao's inheritance descends to

832-534: A province in 1413; the capital of the province was originally called "Guizhou", but it is currently known as Guiyang . Evidence of settlement by humans during the Middle Palaeolithic is indicated by stone artefacts, including Levallois pieces, found during archaeological excavations at Guanyindong Cave. These artefacts have been dated to approximately 170,000–80,000 years ago using optically stimulated luminescence methods. From around 1046 BC to

936-414: A significant impact on agricultural production. Like in China's other southwest provinces, rural areas of Guizhou suffered severe drought during spring 2010. Beginning on 3 April 2010, China's premier Wen Jiabao went on a three-day inspection tour in the southwest drought-affected province of Guizhou, where he met villagers and called on agricultural scientists to develop drought-resistant technologies for

1040-565: A strong blood tie between the Miao people and their ancestors . Miao lusheng festival (also called lusheng fair) occurs on September 27 and lasts for three days. It has become a traditional festival with hundreds of thousands of Miao people participating. During the festival, a lusheng competition takes place among individuals and among teams composed of five people. They play lusheng music and dance in ritualized forms ( lusheng dance). The players with more tunes and brighter sounds will win and their lusheng will be hung with red ribbons, as

1144-977: A subfamily of the Hmong–Mien languages including many mutually unintelligible languages such as the Hmong , Hmub, Xong and A-Hmao . Not all speakers of the Hmongic languages belong to the Miao. For example, the speakers of the Bunu and Bahengic languages are designated as the Yao , and the speakers of the Sheic languages are designated as the She and the Yao. The Kem Di Mun people in Hainan , despite being officially designated as Miao people, are linguistically and culturally identical to

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1248-486: A symbol of honor in the village. Other activities also take place during lusheng festival to increase the jubilant atmosphere, including horse racing, bird-fighting, and cock fighting. Guizhou Guizhou is an inland province in Southwestern China . Its capital and largest city is Guiyang , in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the south, Yunnan to

1352-581: A variety of Mandarin . The area was first organized as an administrative region of a Chinese empire under the Tang , when it was named Juzhou ( 矩州 ), pronounced Kjú-jyuw in the Middle Chinese of the period. During the Mongol -led Yuan dynasty , the character 矩 ( ju , "carpenter's square") was changed to the more refined 貴 ( gui , "precious or expensive"). The region formally became

1456-427: Is 108,740 square kilometers, accounting for 61.7% of the total land area of Guizhou Province. The hilly area is 54,197 square kilometers, accounting for 31.1% of the total land area of Guizhou Province. The area of mountainous flatlands is 13,230 square kilometers, only accounting for 7.5% of the total land area of Guizhou Province. There is a limited amount of land resources available for agricultural development. Due to

1560-677: Is 176,167 square kilometers, accounting for 1.8% of the total area of China. The easternmost point is in Di Lake Township, Tianzhu County, Qiandongnan Prefecture. The westernmost point is in Yulong Township(玉龙乡), Weining County, Bijie City. The southernmost point is in Luowan Township(洛万乡), Xingyi City, Qianxinan Prefecture. The northernmost point is in Yangxi Town(阳溪镇), Daozhen County, Zunyi City. Guizhou

1664-455: Is 30 cm ~ 58 cm high, bass lusheng is 58 cm ~ 105 cm high, times bass lusheng is 105 cm ~ 210 cm high. Reed is the soundbox of lusheng, mostly is made from ringing copper. Its size varies depending on the pitch: The pitch of c, c1, c2 has the length of 4 cm, 3.5 cm, 2.5 cm, and the width of 0.25 cm, 0.2 cm, 0.15 cm, respectively. The lusheng reed can also be made of brass, while it

1768-465: Is a mountainous province, although its higher altitudes are in the west and centre. It lies at the eastern end of the Yungui Plateau . At 2,900 m (9,514 ft) above sea level, Jiucaiping is Guizhou's highest point. Guizhou Plateau is predominantly mountainous, and its topography can be generally divided into three basic types: plateau mountains, hills , and basins(盆地), with 92.5% of

1872-622: Is a wetland that is an important overwintering site for many birds. It is a National Nature Reserve and an Important Bird Area identified by BirdLife International . Guizhou is one of the four major medicinal material-producing areas in China. The province boasts 4,419 species of medicinal plants and 301 medicinal animals. It is famous for its 50 "authentic medicinal materials" known both domestically and internationally. Over 350 types of Chinese medicinal resources have been developed and utilized, with Gastrodia elata , Eucommia ulmoides , Coptis chinensis , Evodia rutaecarpa , and Dendrobium being

1976-462: Is abundant, with a distinct rainy season, many cloudy days, and less sunshine, with the number of cloudy days generally exceeding 150 days throughout the year, and the annual relative humidity above 70%. Influenced by atmospheric circulation and terrain, Guizhou's climate is diverse, with the saying. Additionally, the climate is unstable, with a variety of disastrous weather conditions such as droughts , autumn winds, freezing , and hail , which can have

2080-630: Is also rich in wildlife resources, with 1,053 species of vertebrates, including 141 mammals, 509 birds, 104 reptiles, 74 amphibians, and 225 fish species. In broad terms, the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau is one of the vertebrate diversity hotspots of China. At the level of counties, Xingyi is one of nine Chinese vertebrate (excluding birds) diversity hotspots. Animals only known from Guizhou include Leishan moustache toad , Kuankuoshui salamander , Shuicheng salamander , Guizhou salamander , and Zhijin warty newt . Caohai Lake with its surroundings

2184-719: Is low. The border mountains of Guizhou, Guangxi, and Hunan have been identified as one of the eight plant diversity hotspots in China. Guizhou Province is home to 9,982 species of vascular plants (including subspecies and varieties, the same below)， The main ecosystem types include evergreen broad-leaved forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, and montane elfin forest. more than 700 of which are edible, and over 2,000 that are used for greening, beautification, and for pollution resistance and environmental improvement. Plant species endemic to this region include Abies ziyuanensis , Cathaya argyrophylla , and Keteleeria pubescens ， Davidia involucrata , Guizhou Cycas . The province

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2288-527: Is not as crisp as the sound of copper. The resonator tube acts as the "microphone" of the lusheng. It is a bamboo tube set on the upper end of the sheng guan (笙管) and is mostly made of Moso bamboo. Two types of resonator tube are used in the production, which is movable and fixed. Its length varied with different pitches: c, c1, c2 have length of 60 cm, 30 cm, 15 cm, respectively. The lusheng plays an important role in pursuing love in Miao culture. Among traditional Miao (Hmong), intermarriage

2392-418: Is not one final masterpiece exactly the same as another. The Miao embroidery and silver jewelry are highly valued, delicate and beautiful. Silver jewelry is a highly valuable craftwork of the Miao people. Apart from being a cultural tradition, it also symbolises the wealth of Miao women. As a Miao saying goes, "decorated with no silver or embroidery, a girl is not a girl", Miao women are occasionally defined by

2496-628: Is originated from the Central Plains Region of China. After spreading to the rural regions of southwestern China, lusheng became one of the favorite traditional instruments in several Chinese minority ethnic groups (in particular, the Miao , Yao, Dong, and Yi). It is believed to have evolved from the Yu (wind instrument) , which is a free-reed wind instrument originated in the Han nationality . In

2600-468: Is prohibited between people of the same surname. Instead, Miao people usually choose their mates through collective activities. During annual spring farming periods, Miao people will build lusheng fields in Hmong villages as places for people to choose their spouses. In the lusheng fields, young men and women from different villages gather together, playing lusheng and dance to get to know each other. When

2704-564: Is roughly 10 to 20 °C, with January temperatures ranging from 1 to 10 °C and July temperatures ranging from 17 to 28 °C. with annual rainfall ranging from 1,000 to 1,400 millimeters; the frost-free period lasts between 250 and 300 days. There is no severe cold in winter and no extreme heat in summer, with the coldest month of January averaging 4-6 degrees Celsius, and the hottest month of July averaging 15-23 degrees Celsius. The unique climatic characteristics make Guizhou an ideal place for leisure travel and summer retreats. Precipitation

2808-642: The Battle of Zhuolu ( 涿鹿 ; Zhuōlù , a defunct prefecture on the border of present provinces of Hebei and Liaoning ) by the military coalition of Huang Di ( 黃帝 ; Huángdì ) and Yan Di, leaders of the Huaxia ( 華夏 ; Huáxià ) tribe as the two tribes struggled for supremacy of the Yellow River valley. The San Miao, according to legend, are the descendants of the Jiuli Tribe. Chinese records record

2912-573: The Kim Mun people in continental China who are classified as a subgroup of the Yao . The term "Miao" gained official status in 1949 as a minzu (ethnic group) encompassing a group of linguistically related ethnic minorities in Southwest China . This was part of a larger effort to identify and classify minority groups to clarify their role in the national government, including establishing autonomous administrative divisions and allocating

3016-876: The Liupanshui Special Area was abolished and the prefecture-level city of Liupanshui was established, governing three special districts, with the municipal government located in Shuicheng Special District, becoming the second prefecture-level city in Guizhou Province. In September 1981, the Xingyi Special Area was abolished and the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture was established, with its administrative center in Xingyi. In 1983, Kaili County in

3120-414: The Miao region, there is a folk legend about the origin of the lusheng . According to the legend, the world had nine suns in ancient times that caused heavy drought. People struggled to survive and built huge bows and arrows, shooting down eight of the nine suns. This scared the last sun, which kept itself hidden in the clouds. Without the sunshine, there was always night and crops failed to grow. To induce

3224-755: The Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture and the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture were established, with their administrative centers in Kaili (the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was established in Zhenyuan on July 23 of the same year and later moved to Kaili in 1958). In 1956, two villages from Qijiang County (綦江县), Sichuan Province, were transferred to Xishui County (习水县), Guizhou Province. In 1960,

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3328-540: The Tang dynasty (618–907). In the following period, the Miao migrated throughout southern China and Southeast Asia . They generally inhabited mountainous or marginal lands and took up swidden or slash-and-burn cultivation techniques to farm these lands. During the Miao Rebellions of the Ming dynasty , thousands of Miao were killed by the imperial forces. Mass castrations of Miao boys also took place. During

3432-567: The Xingyi Special Area, Liuzhi Industrial and Mining Area, Shuicheng Industrial and Mining Area, and Pan County Industrial and Mining Area were established. In 1970, the Wanshan Special District was established, under the jurisdiction of Tongren Special Area. The Liuzhi, Pan County, and Shuicheng industrial and mining areas and their original counties were merged into Liuzhi Special District , Pan County Special District, and Shuicheng Special District. In December 1978,

3536-639: The Yao and Miao minorities during the Miao Rebellions . Chinese-style agriculture flourished with the expertise of farmers from Sichuan, Hunan and its surrounding provinces into Guizhou. Wu Sangui was responsible for the ousting the Ming in Guizhou and Yunnan during the Manchu conquest of China . During the governorship-general of the Qing dynasty 's nobleman Ortai , the tusi system of indirect governance of

3640-415: The energy and mining industries constitute an important part of its economy. Notwithstanding, Guizhou is considered a relatively undeveloped province, with the fourth-lowest GDP per capita in China as of 2020. However, it is also one of China's fastest-growing economies. The Chinese government is looking to develop Guizhou as a data hub. Guizhou is a mountainous province, with its higher altitudes in

3744-500: The lusheng advanced techniques of reed musical instruments production in ancient China, connecting Chinese Miao and other Miao ethnic groups around the world. A traditional lusheng consists of six parts: mouthpiece , air feed pipe, sheng dou (笙斗, body), sheng guan (笙管, pipes), reed, and resonator tube. The mouthpiece is thin bamboo, which is connected to the air feed pipe and the sheng dou (笙斗, body); six bamboo-made sheng guan (笙管, pipes) of different lengths and with reeds at

3848-447: The sheng guan with cotton flowers and placing it in the reed-pipe hall. Otherwise, it is believed that the sound of lusheng during harvest season will offend the gods. Violators are subject to reprimand by the elders of the tribe. Lusheng can be used in funerals , as its sound signifies death. In the funeral ceremony, Miao people will play lusheng to release the souls of dead people from suffering. They believe lusheng symbolizes

3952-402: The 19th century. According to André-Georges Haudricourt and David Strecker's claims based on limited secondary data, the Miao were among the first people to settle in present-day China. They claim that the Han borrowed a lot of words from the Miao in regard to rice farming. This indicated that the Miao were among the first rice farmers in China. In addition, some have connected the Miao to

4056-573: The Chinese southwest in the process of defeating the Song during the Mongol invasion of China , and the newly established Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) saw the importation of Chinese Muslim administrators and settlers from Bukhara in Central Asia. It was during the following Ming dynasty , which was once again led by Han Chinese , that Guizhou was formally made a province in 1413. The Ming established many garrisons in Guizhou from which to pacify

4160-930: The Chinese-Miao for the Communists. However, after the war the Vietnamese were very aggressive towards the Hmong who suffered many years of reprisals. Most Hmong in Thailand also supported a brief Communist uprising during the war. Some of the origins of the Hmong and Miao clan names are a result of the marriage of Hmong women to Han Chinese men, with distinct Han Chinese-descended clans and lineages practicing Han Chinese burial customs. These clans were called "Han Chinese Hmong" ("Hmong Sua") in Sichuan , and were instructed in military tactics by fugitive Han Chinese rebels. Such Chinese "surname groups" are comparable to

4264-700: The Daxi Culture (5,300 – 6,000 years ago) in the middle Yangtze River region. The Daxi Culture has been credited with being amongst the first cultivators of rice in the Far East by Western scholars. However, in 2006 rice cultivation was found to have existed in the Shandong province even earlier than the Daxi Culture. Though the Yuezhuang culture has cultivated rice, it is more of collected wild rice and not actual cultivated and domesticated rice like that of

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4368-627: The Daxi. A western study mention that the Miao (especially the Miao-Hunan) has its origins in southern China but have some DNA from the Northeast people of China. Recent DNA samples of Miao males contradict this theory. The White Hmong have 25% C, 8% D, & 6% N(Tat) yet they have the least contact with the Han population. According to the 2000 census, the number of Miao in China was estimated to be about 9.6 million. Outside of China, members of

4472-526: The Han, Hmong leaders made allies with Han merchants. The imperial government had to rely on political means to bring in Hmong people into the government: they created multiple competing positions of substantial prestige for Miao people to participate and assimilate into the Qing government system. During the Ming and Qing times, the official position of Kiatong was created in Indochina. The Miao would employ

4576-624: The Langdai County(朗岱县) in Anshun Special Area was abolished and Liuzhi City was established, which was later changed back to Liuzhi County. In 1965, the city status of Duyun was restored, serving as the capital of the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. In 1966, on the basis of Liuzhi County(六枝县) in the former Anshun Special Area, Shuicheng County (水城县) in the Bijie Special Area,and Pan County in

4680-499: The Miao language family. This language family, which consists of 6 languages and around 35 dialects (some of which are mutually intelligible) belongs to the Hmong/Miao branch of the Hmong–Mien (Miao–Yao) language family . A large population of the Hmong have emigrated to the northern mountainous reaches of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Laos , Vietnam, and Burma . However, many continue to live in far Southwest China mostly in

4784-581: The Miao sub-group or nations of the Hmong live in Thailand , Laos , Vietnam and Burma due to outward migrations starting in the 18th century. As a result of recent migrations in the aftermath of the Indochina and Vietnam Wars from 1949 to 1975, many Hmong people now live in the United States , French Guiana , France and Australia . Altogether, there are approximately 10 million speakers in

4888-570: The Miao, most notably the Hmong people , have migrated out of China into Southeast Asia ( Myanmar , Northern Vietnam , Laos , and Thailand ). Following the communist takeover of Laos in 1975, a large group of Hmong refugees resettled in several Western nations, mainly in the United States , France , and Australia . Miao is a Chinese term, while the component groups of people have their own autonyms, such as (with some variant spellings) Hmong , Hmu , Xong (Qo-Xiong), and A-Hmao . These people (except those in Hainan ) speak Hmongic languages ,

4992-602: The Miao. Those became the ancestors of a part of the Miao population in Guizhou. The Hmong Tian clan in Sizhou began in the seventh century as a migrant Han Chinese clan. The origin of the Tunbao people traces back to the Ming dynasty when the Hongwu Emperor sent 300,000 Han Chinese male soldiers in 1381 to conquer Yunnan, with some of the men marrying Yao and Miao women. The presence of women presiding over weddings

5096-773: The Pan County Special District in Liupanshui City was abolished and Pan County was established. Qingzhen County in the Anshun Special Area was abolished and the county-level Qingzhen City was established, still under the jurisdiction of Anshun Special Area. In 1994, Renhuai County in the Zunyi Special Area was abolished and the county-level Renhuai City was established. Bijie County in the Bijie Special Area

5200-467: The Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was abolished and the county-level Kaili City was established, serving as the capital of the autonomous prefecture. In 1987, the Shuicheng Special District in Liupanshui City was abolished and Shuicheng County and Zhongshan District were established, with the Liupanshui municipal government moving to Zhongshan District; on August 21, Tongren County

5304-657: The Qing Dynasty the Miao fought three wars against the empire. The issue was so serious that the Yongzheng emperor sent one of his most important officials, Ortai , to be the Viceroy of the provinces with significant Miao populations in 1726, and through 1731, he spent his time putting down rebellions. In 1735 in the southeastern province of Guizhou, the Miao rose up against the government's forced assimilation. Eight counties involving 1,224 villages fought until 1738 when

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5408-868: The Qing, in 1735 , from 1795–1806 and from 1854–1873 . After the overthrow of the Qing in 1911 and following Chinese Civil War , the Communists took refuge in Guizhou during the Long March (1934–1935). While the province was formally ruled by the warlord Wang Jialie , the Zunyi Conference in Guizhou established Mao Zedong as the leader of the Communist Party. As the Second Sino-Japanese War pushed China's Nationalist Government to its southwest base of Chongqing , transportation infrastructure improved as Guizhou

5512-643: The Second Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army liberated Guiyang ; on December 26, the People's Government of Guizhou Province was established. In the early period after liberation, the province had one directly managed city, eight special areas, and one special area city, totalling 79 counties. In April 1956, the Guiyang , Zhenyuan , and Duyun special areas were abolished, and

5616-454: The amount of silver jewelry she wears or owns. It is especially important to wear heavy and intricate silver headdresses and jewelry during significant occasions and festivals, notably during weddings, funerals and springtime celebration. Silver jewelry is an essential element of Miao marriages, particularly to the bride. Miao families would begin saving silver jewellery for the girls at an early age, wishing their daughters could marry well with

5720-431: The approval of the State Council, Xingren County in the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture was abolished and the county-level Xingren City was established. In July 2020, Shuicheng County in Liupanshui City was abolished and the district-level Shuicheng District was established. In March 2021, with the approval of the State Council, the Ministry of Civil Affairs agreed to abolish Qianxi County and establish

5824-472: The area being mountains and hills. There are numerous mountain ranges within the province, with overlapping ridges and peaks stretching across the landscape. In the north, there is the Dalou Mountain , which runs diagonally from the west to the northeast, with the important pass Loushan Pass at an altitude of 1444 meters; in the central and southern part, Miaoling Mountain(苗岭) Range stretches across, with its main peak, Leigong Mountain(雷公山), at 2178 meters; in

5928-406: The area. Because of its lesser development compared to many other provinces in China, Guizhou's environment is well-preserved. As of at least 2023, its environment and favorable climate have been assets in attracting the new, increasingly digital, economy. Guizhou Province's rivers are located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins, with 69 counties falling within

6032-444: The bottom are inserted into the sheng dou ( 笙斗, body) , each of which has a press hole and is equipped with a bamboo resonator tube at the upper or lower end of the different bamboo pipes. Sheng dou (笙斗), which is also called a gas box, is the body of the lusheng . It is mostly made of cedar, pine or wu tong (梧桐) wood. It has a spindle shape, with 46~56 cm in length, 4 ~ 9 cm in width, and 3.5 ~ 8 cm in height. During

6136-478: The county-level Qianxi City. Guizhou Province is located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau , between longitudes 103°36′ to 109°35′ east and latitudes 24°37′ to 29°13′ north. The average altitude is around 1100 meters. It borders Hunan to the east, Guangxi to the south, Yunnan to the west, and Sichuan and Chongqing to the north. It stretches approximately 595 kilometers from east to west and about 509 kilometers from north to south. The total area of Guizhou Province

6240-429: The emergence of the State of Qin , northwest Guizhou was part of the State of Shu . During the Warring States period , the Chinese state of Chu conquered the area, and control later passed to the Dian Kingdom . During the Chinese Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), to which the Dian was tributary, Guizhou was home to the Yelang collection of tribes, which largely governed themselves before the Han consolidated control in

6344-412: The family name Deng founding another Hmong clan. Some scholars believe this lends further credence to the idea that some or all of the present day Hmong clans were formed in this way. Jiangxi Han Chinese are claimed by some as the forefathers of the southeast Guizhou Miao, and Miao children were born to the many Miao women married Han Chinese soldiers in Taijiang in Guizhou before the second half of

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6448-553: The family. While the Miao people have had their own unique culture, the Confucian ideology exerted significant influences on this ethnic group. It is expected that men are the dominant figures and breadwinners of the family, while women occupy more domestic roles (like cooking and cleaning). There are strict social standards on women to be "virtuous wives and good mothers", and to abide by "three obediences and four virtues", which include cultural moral specifications of women's behavior. A Miao woman has some cultural freedom in marrying

6552-485: The five famous medicinal materials of Guizhou. Miao people The Miao are a group of linguistically related peoples living in Southern China and Mainland Southeast Asia , who are recognized by the government of China as one of the 56 official ethnic groups . The Miao live primarily in the mountains of southern China. Their homeland encompasses the provinces of Guizhou , Yunnan , Sichuan , Hubei , Hunan , Guangxi , Guangdong , and Hainan . Some sub-groups of

6656-756: The four major groups of Miao in China: Compared to the Confucian principles traditionally exercised over women in some regions of China, the Miao culture is generally less strict in categorization of women's roles in society. Miao women exercise relatively more independence, mobility and social freedom. They are known to be strong willed and politically minded. They actively contribute to their communities in social welfare, education, arts and culture, and agricultural farming. Miao women demonstrate great skill and artistry when making traditional clothing and handicrafts. They excel at embroidering, weaving, paper-cutting, batik, and intricate jewelry casting. From vests, coats, hats, collars and cuffs, to full skirts, and baby carriers,

6760-502: The increasing population and the growth of non-agricultural land use, the area of arable land is continuously decreasing. By the end of 2002, the actual area of arable land in Guizhou Province was 17,694 square kilometers, a reduction of 629 square kilometers compared to 2001. The per capita area of arable land is less than 0.05 hectares, which is significantly lower than the national average of China. The proportion of arable land with thick soil layers, high fertility, and good water conditions

6864-408: The instrument from side to side while playing. Since the late 20th century, a modernized version of the instrument has been used in compositions, often as a solo instrument. The lusheng production technique has been recorded in China's State-Level Non-Material Cultural Heritage List since May 20, 2006. The lusheng can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty with a history of 3000 years in China. It

6968-406: The king of the Hmong, aided Ho Chi Minh 's nationalist move against the French, and thus secured the Hmong's position in Vietnam. In Điện Biên Phủ , Hmongs fought on the side of the communist Viet Minh against the pro-French Tai Dam aristocrats. During the Vietnam War , Miao fought on both sides, the Hmong in Laos primarily for the US, across the border in Vietnam for the North-Vietnam coalition,

7072-468: The large amount of silver jewelry representing the wealth of the family. Although a growing Miao population is moving from rural Miao regions to cities, the new generation respects the families' silver heritage and is willing to pass on the practice as a cultural tradition more than a showcase of family wealth. Although Miao women are not strictly-governed, their social status is often seen as lower than that of men, as in most patriarchal societies. Be it in

7176-493: The last sun to come out, people produced the lusheng and played music. The beautiful melody from the lusheng successfully attracted the sun to come out again. After that, playing lusheng became a tradition and cultural expression of the Miao people. On May 20, 2006, the production techniques on lusheng of the Miao nationality group was approved by China State Council and listed in the State-Level Non-Material Cultural Heritage List. The production techniques used to produce

7280-456: The neighbouring provinces. By the time the war ended Professor Wu said only 30 percent of the Miao were left in their home regions. This defeat led to the Hmong people migrating out of China into Laos and Vietnam. During Qing times, more military garrisons were established in southwest China. Han Chinese soldiers moved into the Taijiang region of Guizhou , married Miao women, and the children were brought up as Miao. In spite of rebellion against

7384-451: The northeastern part, there is the Wuling Mountain Range, which winds into Guizhou from Hunan, with its main peak, Fanjing Mountain , at 2572 meters; in the west, there is the towering Wumeng Mountain(乌蒙山), with the highest point in Guizhou being Jiucaiping(韭菜坪) in Zhushi Township(珠市乡), Hezhang County , at an altitude of 2900.6 meters. Guizhou has a humid subtropical climate . There are few seasonal changes. Its annual average temperature

7488-690: The original county-level Zunyi City being changed to Honghuagang District . In 2000, the Anshun Special Area was abolished and the prefecture-level city of Anshun was established, with the original county-level Anshun City being changed to Xixiu District . In 2003, parts of the Honghuagang District in Zunyi City were divided to establish the Huichuan District of Zunyi City. In 2011, the Tongren Special Area

7592-487: The patrilineal Hmong clans and also practice exogamy. Han Chinese male soldiers who fought against the Miao rebellions during the Qing and Ming dynasties were known to have married with non-Han women such as the Miao because Han women were less desirable. The Wang clan, founded among the Hmong in Gongxian county of Sichuan's Yibin district, is one such clan and can trace its origins to several such marriages around

7696-419: The patterns on their clothes are extremely complicated and colorful with clean lines. Girls of around seven will learn embroidering from mothers and sisters, and by the time they are teenagers, they are quite deft. Additionally, Miao silver jewelry is distinctive for its design, style and craftsmanship. Miao silver jewelry is completely handmade, carved with fine decorative patterns. It's not easy to make and there

7800-547: The poorest province in China, with a GDP growth average of 9 percent from 1978 to 1993. Regional history In the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), Guizhou established six administrative supervision areas, each in charge of several counties. In the 30th year (1941), Guiyang City was established. By the 37th year (1948), Guizhou had one direct jurisdiction area, six administrative supervision areas, and 78 counties (cities) under its administration. On November 15, 1949,

7904-419: The potential derogatory use of the term Miao. In modern China, however, the term continues to be used regarding the Miao people there. Though the Miao themselves use various self-designations, the Chinese traditionally classify them according to the most characteristic color of the women's clothes. The list below contains some of these self-designations, the color designations, and the main regions inhabited by

8008-658: The present-day area of Guizhou, was annexed by the Han dynasty in 106 BC. Guizhou was formally made a province in 1413 during the Ming dynasty . After the overthrow of the Qing in 1911 and following the Chinese Civil War , the Chinese Communist Party took refuge in Guizhou during the Long March between 1934 and 1935. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China , Mao Zedong promoted

8112-407: The production, a whole piece of blank material is split into two halves, and each inner chamber will be hollowed out respectively. Then two halves will be glued after loading into the sheng guan (笙管, pipes) with seven turns of thin gabions around the outer part. The sheng dou (笙斗) often has the color of light yellow, decorated with tung oil on the outside. Its beautiful appearance made lusheng has

8216-581: The province's total land area, with major rivers including: Wu River , Chishui River , Qingshuijiang , Hongzhou River(洪州河), Wuyang River , Jinjiang , Songtao River(松桃河)， Songkan River(松坎河), Niulan River(牛栏江), Hengjiang(横江), etc.; to the south of Miao Ridge lies the Pearl River basin, covering an area of 60,420 square kilometers, accounting for 34.3% of the province's total land area, with major rivers including: Nanpan River , Beipan River , Hongshui River , Duliu River , Dagou River(打狗河), etc. Guizhou has

8320-933: The provinces of Yunnan , Guangxi and to a very limited extent in Guizhou . Most Miao currently live in China. Miao population growth in China: 3,600,000 Miao, about half of the entire Chinese Miao population, were in Guizhou in 1990. The Guizhou Miao and those in the following six provinces make up over 98% of all Chinese Miao: In the above provinces, there are 6 Miao autonomous prefectures (shared officially with one other ethnic minority): There are in addition 23 Miao autonomous counties : Most Miao reside in hills or on mountains, such as Several thousands of Miao left their homeland to move to larger cities like Guangzhou and Beijing . There are 789,000 Hmong spread throughout northern Vietnam , Laos , Burma , and on other continents. 174,000 live in Thailand , where they are one of

8424-502: The relocation of heavy industry into inland provinces such as Guizhou, to better protect them from potential foreign attacks. Located in the hinterland of the southwestern inland region, Guizhou is a transportation hub in the southwest area and an important part of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It is the country's first national-level comprehensive pilot zone for big data, a mountain tourism destination and

8528-435: The reputation of " golden sheng ". Sheng guan (笙管, pipes) is mostly made out of white bamboo, which has a thin diameter (1.2 cm), long joints (40~50 cm), uniform thickness, and thin walls. They are inserted longitudinally at an angle of 75° to 90° into the sheng dou (笙斗). The height of sheng guan (笙管) varied based on a different level of tones: soprano lusheng is 14.5 cm ~ 30 cm high, alto lusheng

8632-578: The revolt ended. According to Xiangtan University Professor Wu half the Miao populations were affected by the war. The second war (1795–1806) involved the provinces of Guizhou and Hunan. Shi Sanbao and Shi Liudeng led this second revolt. Again, it ended in failure, but it took 11 years to quell the uprising. The greatest of the three wars occurred from 1854 to 1873 . Zhang Xiu-mei led this revolt in Guizhou until his capture and death in Changsha, Hunan. This revolt affected over one million people and all

8736-530: The same year, Pingba County in Anshun City was abolished and Pingba District of Anshun City was established. In 2016, Zunyi County in Zunyi City was abolished and the district-level Bozhou District was established. In April 2017, the Ministry of Civil Affairs agreed to abolish Pan County in Liupanshui City and establish the county-level Panzhou City, managed by Liupanshui City. In August 2018, with

8840-606: The scope of the Yangtze River protective forest conservation area, making it an important ecological barrier for the upper reaches of both the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. The water system of the province flows from the west and center towards the north, east, and south according to the terrain. Miao Ridge serves as the watershed between the Yangtze and Pearl River basins; to the north lies the Yangtze River basin, covering an area of 115,747 square kilometers, accounting for 65.7% of

8944-399: The seats for representatives in provincial and national government. Historically, the term "Miao" had been applied inconsistently to a variety of non- Han peoples. Early Chinese-based names use various transcriptions: Miao, Miao-tse, Miao-tsze, Meau, Meo, mo, Miao-tseu etc. In Southeast Asian contexts, words derived from the Chinese "Miao" took on a sense which was perceived as derogatory by

9048-511: The six main hill tribes . The 2000 Chinese census recorded 8,940,116 Miao in mainland China . (Only includes counties or county-equivalents containing >0.25% of mainland China's Miao population.) Miao fish (苗鱼 miáo yǘ) is a dish made by steaming fish with a mixture of fresh herbs, green peppers, ginger slices and garlic. Huang et al. (2022) found that the most common Y-chromosome haplogroup among many Hmongic-speaking ethnic groups (including Miao and Pa-Hng from Hunan, and Thailand Hmong)

9152-893: The southwest and established the Lingnan province. During the Three Kingdoms period, parts of Guizhou were governed by the Shu Han state based in Sichuan , followed by Cao Wei (220–266) and the Jin dynasty (266–420). During the 8th and 9th centuries in the Tang dynasty , Chinese soldiers moved into Guizhou (Kweichow) and married native women. Their descendants are known as Lǎohànrén ( 老汉人 ), in contrast to new Chinese who populated Guizhou at later times. They still speak an archaic dialect. Many immigrants to Guizhou were descended from these soldiers in garrisons who married these pre-Chinese women. Kublai Khan and Möngke Khan conquered

9256-713: The southwest was abolished, prompting rebellions from disenfranchised chieftains and the further centralization of government. After the Second Opium War , criminal triads set up shop in Guangxi and Guizhou to sell British opium . For a time, Taiping Rebels took control of Guizhou, but they were ultimately suppressed by the Qing. Concurrently, Han Chinese soldiers moved into the Taijiang region of Guizhou, married Miao women, and their children were brought up as Miao. More unsuccessful Miao rebellions occurred during

9360-444: The subgroups living in that region. The term re-appeared in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), by which time it had taken on the connotation of "barbarian". Being a variation of Nanman, it was used to refer to the indigenous people in southern China who had not been assimilated into Han culture. During this time, references to "raw" (生 Sheng) and "cooked" (熟 Shu) Miao appear, referring to the level of assimilation and political cooperation of

9464-710: The subsistence economy or otherwise, men are the main economic force and provide the stable source of income for the family. Women are primarily involved in social welfare, domestic responsibilities, and additionally earn supplementary income. As tourism became a major economic activity to this ethnic group, Miao women gained more opportunities to join the labor force and earn an income. Women mostly take up jobs that require modern day customer service skills; for example, working as tour guides, selling craftwork and souvenirs, teaching tourists how to make flower wreaths, and even renting ethnic costumes. These jobs require soft skills and hospitality and more visibility in public, but provide

9568-866: The time of the Ming dynasty suppression of the Ah rebels. Nicholas Tapp wrote that, according to The Story of the Ha Kings in the village, one such Han ancestor was Wang Wu. It is also noted that the Wang typically sided with the Chinese, being what Tapp calls "cooked" as opposed to the "raw" peoples who rebelled against the Chinese. Hmong women who married Han Chinese men founded a new Xem clan among Northern Thailand's Hmong. Fifty years later in Chiangmai two of their Hmong boy descendants were Catholics. A Hmong woman and Han Chinese man married and founded northern Thailand's Lau2, or Lauj, clan, , with another Han Chinese man of

9672-410: The two groups, making them easier to classify. Not until the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) do more finely grained distinctions appear in writing. Even then, discerning which ethnic groups are included in various classifications can be complex. There has been a historical tendency by the Hmong, who resisted assimilation and political cooperation, to group all Miao peoples together under the term Hmong because of

9776-645: The upper reaches, with small water volume; the middle reaches have alternating tight and open valleys with rapid water flow; the lower reaches have deep and narrow valleys, with large water volume and abundant hydropower resources. The potential of hydropower resources is 18.745 million kilowatts, ranking sixth in China, of which 16.833 million kilowatts are exploitable, accounting for 4.4% of China's total, with many concentrated river sections with large water level drops, and favorable development conditions. Guizhou Province's land resources are predominantly mountainous and hilly, with relatively few plains. The mountainous area

9880-594: The use of the Kiatong government structure until the 1900s when they entered into French colonial politics in Indochina . During the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Miao played an important role in its birth when they helped Mao Zedong to escape the Kuomintang in the Long March with supplies and guides through their territory. In Vietnam, a powerful Hmong named Vuong Chinh Duc, dubbed

9984-399: The west and centre. It lies at the eastern end of the Yungui Plateau . Demographically, it is one of China's most diverse provinces. Minority groups account for more than 37% of the population, including sizable populations of the Miao , Bouyei , Dong , Tujia and Yi peoples, all of whom speak languages distinct from Chinese. The main language spoken in Guizhou is Southwestern Mandarin ,

10088-431: The west, Sichuan to the northwest, the municipality of Chongqing to the north, and Hunan to the east. The Guizhou Province has a Humid subtropical climate . It covers a total area of 176,200 square kilometers and consists of six prefecture-level cities and three autonomous prefectures . The population of Guizhou stands at 38.5 million, ranking 18th among the provinces in China. The Dian Kingdom , which inhabited

10192-458: The youngest son. The older sons leave the family and build their own residences, usually in the same province and close to the family. The youngest son is responsible for living with and caring for the aging parents, even after marriage. He receives a larger share of the family's inheritance and his mother's silver jewelry collection, which is used as bridal wealth or dowry . Some imperially commissioned Han Chinese chieftaincies assimilated with

10296-581: Was a feature noted in "Southeast Asian" marriages, such as in 1667 when a Miao woman in Yunnan married a Chinese official. Some Sinicization occurred, in Yunnan a Miao chief's daughter married a scholar in the 1600s who wrote that she could read, write, and listen in Chinese and read Chinese classics. According to a Tang dynasty Chinese legend, the Miao who descended from the Jiuli tribe led by Chiyou ( Chinese : 蚩尤 ; pinyin : Chīyóu ) were defeated at

10400-534: Was abolished and Tongren City was established; on November 6, with the approval of the State Council, Xingyi County was abolished and Xingyi City was established. In 1990, Chishui County in the Zunyi Special Area was abolished and the county-level Chishui City was established. Anshun City and Anshun County were merged to serve as the administrative center of Anshun Special Area. In 1992,

10504-416: Was abolished and the county-level Bijie City was established, serving as the administrative center of Bijie Special Area. In 1996, Qingzhen City, Xiuwen County , Kaiyang County , and Xifeng County , originally belonging to the Anshun Special Area, were transferred to the jurisdiction of Guiyang City. In 1997, the Zunyi Special Area was abolished and the prefecture-level city of Zunyi was established, with

10608-428: Was abolished and the prefecture-level city of Tongren was established, with the original county-level Tongren City being changed to Bijiang District , and the original Wanshan Special District being changed to Wanshan District. Tongren City governs 2 districts and 8 counties. In the same year, the Bijie Special Area was abolished and the prefecture-level city of Bijie was established. The original county-level Bijie City

10712-481: Was changed to Qixingguan District . In 2013, a pilot model of provincial direct management of counties was implemented, with the county-level Renhuai City, originally belonging to Zunyi City, and Weining County , originally belonging to Bijie City, being designated as pilot counties for provincial direct management. On January 6, 2014, the State Council agreed to establish the Guizhou Gui'an New District. In

10816-596: Was linked with the Burma Road . After the end of the War, a 1949 Revolution swept Mao into power, who promoted the relocation of heavy industry into inland provinces such as Guizhou, to better protect them from Soviet and American attacks. The 1957 influenza pandemic started in Guizhou and killed a million people around the world. After the Chinese economic reform began in 1978, geographical factors led Guizhou to become

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