Travel Notes | Impressions of Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang

The bus can reach Xijiang in less than an hour after leaving Kaili City. After a section of highway, the car winds its way along the rugged mountain roads. Mountain forests, streams, terraces... beautiful mountain scenery gradually flashes by. .

We were so lucky. When we were sitting in the car, it was windy and rainy outside. However, after the car arrived at the parking lot of the scenic spot, the rain suddenly stopped. Is it God's mercy, or is it an explosion of character? It seems that we have a destiny with the Miao Village. Let the showers wash away the heat so that we can enjoy sightseeing and fun here.

When I walked to the north gate of the Miao Village, I saw a group of Miao people in costumes forming a circle, singing and dancing. An old man presiding over the ceremony was leading everyone to change the dance formation. Wearing Miao clothes and beautiful silver jewelry, they sang in a low voice, swayed slightly, and moved slowly in a circle, which was eye-catching. The gorgeously dressed Miao girls hold wine horns in their hands and tiptoe to the music of the Lusheng, warmly welcoming every visitor from afar.

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is known as the largest Miao village in China and even the world, but now it has been completely commercialized. The core area is no different from other ancient cities and towns. It is full of specialty shops, restaurants, bars, and hotels. On the streets where people come and go, there are occasionally a few Miao grandmothers dressed in casual clothes, as well as tourists who specially wear Miao clothes to take pictures. The others are all handsome men and women dressed in fashionable clothes.

The most attractive thing about Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang is the rows of stilted buildings built against the mountains. From a distance, it really looks like a scene in the classic cartoon "Spirited Away" by Hayao Miyazaki. At night, when the "lights" in front of all the stilted buildings are turned on, it seems as if stars in the sky have fallen to the earth. This scene makes people unable to help but marvel.

I had a special long table banquet for dinner, which was not a good experience. We ate at a restaurant called Miao Chu. Tour guides usually go here with groups, and there are not many other people. The dishes include a fish in sour soup and several side dishes. The so-called ceremony is that two girls in Miao costumes sang and toasted a round of wine. The reaction of most of us is that we are not full, so we might as well eat a bowl of mutton (beef) meal from any small shop.

The main attraction of Qianhu Miao Village is that The unique architecture and houses built against the mountain are scattered throughout the mountain village. This is the most spectacular and worth seeing place. The Miao architecture is mainly wooden stilt houses with a through-beam hip roof structure. There are two types of stilt houses on flat ground and sloping stilt houses, which are generally three-story structures with four frames and three rooms or five frames and four rooms. The bottom floor is used to store production tools, keep poultry and livestock, store fertilizer or be used as a toilet. The second floor is used as a living room, main room, bedroom and kitchen. A unique "beauty backrest" is built outside the main room, which is called "step rest" in Miao language. It is mainly used for cooling off, embroidery and resting. It is a major feature of Miao architecture. The third floor is mainly used to store production and living materials such as grains and feed.

There are two main streets in the Qianhu Miao Village Scenic Area. A small river passes through the village. There are several bridges on the river connecting the streets on both sides. Every scene is the same scenery. The night view of the Miao Village is particularly beautiful, full of light and brilliance. Standing on a high place and looking down, you can forget all your worries...

The terrain of Xiqianhu Miao Village is a typical river valley, with the Baishui River passing through the village. The main body of the Miao Village is located on the valley slope on the northeast side of the river. For thousands of years, Xijiang Miao compatriots have cultivated here at sunrise and rested at sunset. They have opened up large terraces in the upper reaches of the Miao village, forming a farming culture and pastoral scenery. The mountains here are high, the water is deep, and the forests are dense. Although the traffic conditions are relatively poor, there is an endless stream of tourists. Miao Village and Dong Village are like beautiful pictures inlaid in the green water and green mountains, telling the beautiful legends of the Miao family one after another.