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Catégorie 4ACampagne et Jardins Ruraux

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

Guizhou · préfecture autonome des Miao et Dong de Qiandongnan

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Catégorie:Paysages naturels

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is the largest Miao settlement in China, with stilted houses built into the mountainside and night lights that resemble a starry river. Visitors can experience the long-table banquet and Miao song and dance, and feel the vibrant life and poetry of this thousand-year-old village.

INTRODUCTION

À propos de cette attraction

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village – The Living Culture of the World's Largest Miao Settlement

Overview

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is located in the northeast of Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province. It is the largest Miao settlement in China and the world. It is not only the place where the Miao's "primitive ecology" culture is best preserved, but also a living epic of Miao development. The village is formed by more than ten natural villages built along the mountain slopes, connected into one continuous area. The Baishui River flows through the village, dividing it into two parts. Key data are as follows:

Geographic location: 108°10′E, 26°30′N, elevation about 833 meters.
Area: The core scenic area covers about 5.5 square kilometers.
Population: Over 1,400 households and more than 6,000 people, with Miao people accounting for over 99%.
Number of buildings: Over 1,000 stilted buildings (diaojiaolou) remain, of which about 200 are over 100 years old.
Protection level: In 2005, it was listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage (Miao stilted building construction techniques), and in 2011 it was rated as a national AAAA tourist attraction.

PRACTICAL INFO

Infos pratiques

Horaires d'ouverture

Open 24 hours (entrance staffed 24/7). Museum: 8:30-17:30.

Prix des billets

Full price: ¥90/person (includes one round-trip sightseeing bus). Half price: ¥45/person for students, seniors, etc. Tickets can be booked via the official WeChat public account '西江千户苗寨'.

Comment s'y rendre

External transportation: Take a high-speed train from Guiyang North Station to Kaili South Station (about 40 minutes), then transfer to the scenic area shuttle bus (about 1 hour, ticket 35 yuan). Self-driving: navigate to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village North Gate Parking Lot. Internal transportation: Private cars are not allowed in the scenic area. You can take the sightseeing bus (single trip 5 yuan, round trip 10 yuan) or walk. It is recommended to walk along Ancient Street and to the observation deck; the whole trip takes about 3-4 hours.

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Historical Evolution

The migration history of the Miao in Xijiang can be traced back to ancient times. According to the "Miao Ancient Songs," the Miao ancestors originally lived in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River basin, but were forced to migrate westward due to tribal wars (such as the Battle of Zhuolu against the Yanhuang tribes). The ancestors of the Xijiang Miao, brothers "Yinhu Fei" and "Mohu Fei," led their people up the Duliujiang River and finally settled here about 600 years ago in the early Ming Dynasty.

The name "Xijiang" in the Miao language is "Dlib Jangl" (transliterated as "Xijiang"), meaning "the river bend where the Miao Xi clan lives." During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, before the central government implemented "gaitu guiliu" (replacing native chieftains with officials) in Guizhou, Xijiang was already the core settlement of the Miao "Xi" clan. In the seventh year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty (1729), the Qing government established "Xijiang Xun" (a military post) here, stationing Green Standard Army troops, marking the formal jurisdiction of the central government over this area. Despite the "Miao frontier development" in the Qing Dynasty and the turmoil of the Republic of China period, Xijiang Miao Village has always maintained its "Gushe" (drum society) social organization structure based on blood ties, and its cultural heritage has never been interrupted.

After the 1980s, Xijiang gradually became known to the outside world. In 1982, the Guizhou Provincial People's Government listed it as a provincial cultural relic protection unit (ethnic village). In 1999, Leishan County launched tourism development, but strictly followed the principle of "repairing the old as the old." In 2008, the Third Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Conference was held here, greatly promoting both infrastructure development and cultural protection. Today, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village has become a "living fossil" for studying Miao history, architecture, and folk customs.

Architectural Layout and Scenic Area Structure

Overall Spatial Structure

The Miao village is located on the gentle slope at the foot of Leigong Mountain, with a pattern of "two mountains embracing one river." The Baishui River winds from east to west, dividing the village into north and south parts. The north side includes the old villages such as "Yedong Village" and "Yetong Village," while the south side includes expanded areas like "Ping Village" and "Dongyin Village." The core observation deck is located on the hillside of the south side, offering a panoramic view.

Core area: About 0.8 square kilometers, with extremely high building density, and the average distance between stilted buildings is only 2-3 meters.
Road system: The main streets are the riverside "Ancient Street" and "Youfang Street," about 4-6 meters wide; the branch alleys are mostly stone or pebble steps, only 1-2 meters wide, connecting households.
Public spaces: There are 7 "lusheng squares" (for festivals and dances) in the village, the largest is in the central square, about 30 meters in diameter; there are also 3 wind and rain bridges across the Baishui River, of which "No. 1 Wind and Rain Bridge" is 35 meters long and 4.5 meters wide, a three-arch stone-pier wooden corridor bridge.

Iconic Building Groups

Observation Deck: Located at an altitude of 920 meters on the south slope, it can accommodate 300 people at a time. This is the best spot to photograph the panoramic view of the village, especially at dusk when the lights of thousands of stilted houses turn on one by one, creating a spectacular sight.
Xijiang Miao Museum: Located in the middle of Ancient Street, covering about 500 square meters, it was converted from the original "Xijiang Gushe" meeting hall. The museum displays more than 300 cultural relics including Miao costumes, silver ornaments, farming tools, and sacrificial items for the Guzang Festival.
Guzang Hall: Located on the top of Yedong Village, it is the core sacrificial site of the Miao "Gushe" (drum society). The hall enshrines a wooden drum about 1.5 meters in diameter, covered with cowhide, symbolizing the dwelling of ancestral souls. The "Guzang Festival" is held here every 13 years.

Architectural Features and Natural Features

Stilted Building (Diaojiaolou) System

The architecture of Xijiang Miao Village is dominated by chuan-dou (through-tenon) dry-column structures known as stilted buildings, which are the wisdom of Miao ancestors adapting to mountainous environments. Its core features are as follows:

Structural principle: Built along the mountain, the front part is suspended and supported by wooden pillars, forming a "half-side building." Typically three stories: the ground floor is for livestock or storage (now often used as bathrooms or storage rooms); the second floor contains the main hall, bedrooms, and a fire pit; the third floor is for grain storage and guest rooms. The entire building uses no nails or rivets, relying entirely on mortise and tenon joints.
Dimensions: A standard stilted building is three bays wide (about 9-12 meters), two bays deep (about 6-8 meters), with an eave height of about 5-6 meters. The roof slope is about 30 degrees, covered with small green tiles, with deep eaves (about 1.2 meters) for drainage.
Decorative details: The lintel of the main hall often hangs "ox horn" or "maple wood" carvings, symbolizing ancestor worship; window lattices often feature carvings of butterflies, birds, dragons, etc., derived from the Miao creation myth of "Butterfly Mother." Some old houses have "swastika" or bronze drum patterns carved on the column bases.
Construction techniques: In 2006, "Miao stilted building construction techniques" were listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage. Craftsmen must use fir wood, and it must be cut after the ninth lunar month (to prevent insect damage). When erecting pillars, a "ghost master" (shaman) must choose an auspicious day and perform a "wood sacrifice" ceremony.

Natural Landscape Features

Terrace fields: Around the village, terraced fields are carved into the mountainside, covering about 2,000 mu (about 133 hectares), with the highest point at 1,100 meters above sea level. The terraces wind along the mountain; in spring, when flooded, they look like mirrors; in autumn, when the rice ripens, they turn golden, forming a three-dimensional picture of "mountain-water-field-village" with the stilted houses.
Baishui River ecology: The river is about 15 kilometers long, and within the village it is about 8-15 meters wide and 0.5-1.5 meters deep. The riverbed is covered with pebbles, and the water is clear. It is a public space for washing clothes, fetching water, and playing. The seven wind and rain bridges over the river are not only traffic nodes but also social and rest places.
Vegetation features: The village retains many ancient trees, mainly liquidambar (maple), nanmu, and fir. Among them, a thousand-year-old liquidambar tree in Yedong Village is about 40 meters tall with a diameter at breast height of 2.5 meters. It is regarded as a sacred tree by the villagers, and an altar is often set up under it.

Cultural Significance

Social Organization and Festivals

The core social organization of Xijiang Miao Village is the "Gushe" (drum society, called "Jianglue" in Miao), a clan commune system based on blood ties. The whole village is divided into two major branches: "Xijiang Gushe" and "Kongbai Gushe." Each Gushe has a "drum master" (held by a respected elder) who presides over sacrifices and mediates disputes. This system has continued since the Ming Dynasty and is the cornerstone of Miao social stability.

The most important festival is the "Guzang Festival" (in Miao: "Nongx Niel"), held every 13 years and lasting 13 days. During the festival, the whole village slaughters cattle to worship ancestors, dances lusheng (reed pipe) dances, sings ancient songs, and holds a "dragon summoning" ceremony (leading the dragon god back from the mountains to the village). In 2006, the "Miao Guzang Festival" was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Miao silver ornament forging techniques: Xijiang is an important production area for "Miao silver ornaments." Silversmiths use techniques such as chiseling, hollowing, and wire drawing to make headdresses, necklaces, and bracelets, with patterns mostly of butterflies, dragons, phoenixes, and flowers. A complete set of ceremonial silver ornaments weighs 5-10 kilograms and is worth tens of thousands of yuan. In 2006, this technique was selected for national intangible cultural heritage.
Miao embroidery: Xijiang Miao embroidery is famous for "broken-thread embroidery" and "seed-stitch embroidery." Embroiderers use silk threads to embroider geometric patterns and animal and plant motifs on black or blue homespun cloth, with strong color contrasts. Among them, "Butterfly Mother" and "dragon patterns" are core themes, carrying the Miao creation myth.
Miao ancient songs: Sung in the Miao language, their content covers the creation of the world, migration history, production and labor, etc. The ancient songs have no written records and are passed down orally, making them the Miao's "wordless history book." In 2008, "Miao ancient songs" were listed as national intangible cultural heritage.

Academic Value

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is regarded by academia as a "living laboratory" for studying the social forms of mountain ethnic groups in southwestern China. Its architectural layout reflects the military thought of "living in clusters and defending by mountains"; its social organization of "Gushe" and "Yilang" (village council) system provides examples for studying primitive democracy. UNESCO experts once commented: "Xijiang Miao Village is an irreplaceable sample of human cultural heritage."

Visitor Information

Best Time to Visit

Suitable all year round: Spring (March-May) when terraces are flooded and misty; autumn (September-November) when rice is golden and the climate is cool.
Festival recommendations: The "Eating New Festival" in the sixth lunar month (around July), the "Miao New Year" in the tenth lunar month (around November), and the "Guzang Festival" held every 13 years (the most recent was in 2024).

Transportation Guide

External transportation: Take a high-speed train from Guiyang North Station to "Kaili South Station" (about 40 minutes), then transfer to the scenic area shuttle bus (about 1 hour, ticket 35 yuan). Self-driving: navigate to "Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village North Gate Parking Lot."
Internal transportation: Private cars are not allowed in the scenic area. You can take the sightseeing bus (single trip 5 yuan, round trip 10 yuan) or walk. It is recommended to walk along Ancient Street and to the observation deck; the whole trip takes about 3-4 hours.

Tickets and Opening Hours

Ticket price: Full-price ticket 90 yuan/person (including one round trip on the sightseeing bus), half-price 45 yuan/person for students, seniors, etc. You can book tickets through the official WeChat public account "Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village."
Opening hours: Open 24 hours a day (the entrance is staffed 24 hours). The museum is open from 8:30 to 17:30.

Tour Suggestions

Classic route: North Gate → Ancient Street → Xijiang Miao Museum → Yedong Village (Guzang Hall) → Observation Deck (panoramic view) → Wind and Rain Bridge → Return. The whole route is about 5 kilometers and takes 3-4 hours.
In-depth experience: You can stay in a homestay in the village (the "Yetong Village" area is recommended for its good view), participate in the morning "blocking door wine" ceremony (free), or book a silver ornament forging experience (about 100 yuan/person).
Notes: Respect Miao customs; do not photograph elderly people or sacrificial scenes without permission. The stone paths in the village are slippery, so wear non-slip shoes. The observation deck is windy at night, so bring a jacket.