A Hmong Festival on Leigongshan Mountain

　　This morning I got up early and went out to have the delicious rice noodles with sour soup, after a rest, I met Mary and Robert in the hotel lobby, and we checked out. Then we left Jianhe for Paiyang- a Miao village in Taijiang county. In China, we call “Miao”, it’s called” Hmong” in the US, at many regions in the northwest of Guizhou, it’s also called “Hmong” or “Mu”.

　　 We drove along the new free.way, lots of nice view of rice terraces and wood houses on stilts appeared to our eyes, the mountains are green with trees, many are pines and China firs, China firs are the best quality and most popular wood materials for building houses at this region for Hmong homes. Not too long, we exited from the free way, then followed a small old paved road from Taijaing to Paiyang, then we were much closer to rice paddies and wooden houses, they look very beautiful and scenic.

　　　After about half an hour, we arrived at Paiyang. In fact, Paiyang is a small township and there are several Miao villages around it, we chose one village to visit. I already heard some families here are engaged in silver-making, so while we walked in the village, I paid great attention to any possibility to visit silver-smith, unfortunately, we didn’t see any silver-smith. When we are close the top of the village, I saw an old men, he had a nice face and smiled to us, so I decided to open my mouth, I smiled and spoke Miao language to him, he was very happy to know that I’m Miao too, he invited us to visit his home, we felt very happy and of course followed him to enter to his house, the shrine was setting in the center wall of the guest room, besides are rooms for sleeping, many awards are sticked on the wall, I knew that means his grand children’s study is excellent, through the house’s window, a stunning bird view of the whole village appeared to us. We sat down on the small stools and felt relaxed, we chatted with him for a few minutes, he was happy to tell us the change of the life of his family and the village, especially after Deng Xiaoping’s new police-opening China to foreigner countries, now many villagers look more wealthy and they enjoyed their village life. Because we need to see a local tribal market at another place, we left his home, he smiled to us and said to us? “welcome again”. On the way to our car, we met an Miao woman raise a her pig, she is still in embroidered daily dress, we requested her for several pictures and said goodbye to her, then more and more people came out from their homes to see us, it seems not many foreigners have been to this village.

　　　The trip is continued, around 11:40, we got to the market in Taipan. This is a small rural market, the market date is calculated by lunar month animals, for the participants of the markets, they are mainly local Hmong from nearby villages, there are two kinds of Hmong, namely the Geyi style Hmong and the Xijiang style Hmong, also called “Long Skirt Hmong”, many women still keep peculiar hairdos covered a piece of kerchief, an embroidered lace was wore around their jackets. We just arrived at the right moment, many people just arrived at the market, the market place is set along the two sides of the streets, some people are selling piglets, some sells vegetables, fruits, some are selling carps, chicken, farming tools, rain hats and Mao’s shoes, etc, they can get what they need for everyday life use. The stay at the market is about 1 hour.

　　　After a delicious lunch at a small community restaurant, we drove on the Leigongshan mountain to Maliang Hmong village. Maliao is a beautiful Hmong village where old wood house architectures are well kept, this is the hometown of Hmong silver smith, at the edge of the village, we met several men fixing the village streets, the village streets are paved with pebbles, it looks it’s going to be a tourist village soon in the future. We formerly planned to see silver smith make silver ornaments, to be our surprise, finally we noticed that this is a dead village, not many villagers stay in the village, most of the young people already left the village to make money at factories in large cities such as Dongguan, Wenzhou, Xiamen, etc, and no any silver smith stays at home engaged in this traditional folk art. I saw a man twist a small metal wire on his hand, I guess he must be a silver smith, he answered me,? “yes, I’m a silver smith, but my son carried all the tools for making silver to Kaili, all of the silver smith go out to make a living in Xijiang Hmong village, Leishan county seat and Kaili”, it’s very sad to hear that, and we felt regret not to see the silver-making skill.

　　　We continued the journey to visit Kaijiao Hmong village, while we were closed to Kaijiao village, we passed a red banner, the writings on the banner caused my attention, because I realized there should be some Hmong festivals around here or there these days, it’s the season for Miaonian festival of Hmong(the tenth lunar month). While we got to the edge of Kaijiao village, I noticed the village is large but it’s scattered, it’s not easy or really interesting to visit it just walk around the village, fortunately, I saw dozens of men watch bird fight by the roadside, I asked the driver to stop, then asked them about the festival information-whether there is a festival around here, a good news I got, there will be the Miaonian festival this late afternoon in Kaijiao, also there is the Miaonian festival in Beigao village today too, the festival in Beigao might be more interesting, because all the aunts(the girls who are married to other villages) are invited to come back the village spending the festival with their families and the villagers’’, a man answered. He also told us how to drive there, he said, you drive back about 2 kms, then see the red banner, turn left, follow the narrow cement road to the top of the mountain, then you will see the village, you just need to drive down directly to the village, only way. I told this news to Mary and Robert and my plan to visit the festival at Beigao village, they agreed to my decision and they were very happy with my flexibility for the tour.

　　　After driving just about half an hour, we got to Beigao village, I found it’s a small village on Leigongshan mountain which is located on the half mountain, the feeling for me is that it’s small, peaceful, remote and precipitous. Parking well our car, we walked down to the village center-which is usually the festival held place, some people are playing basket balls including several aunts, the good news is that there will be the festival ceremony this late afternoon, we just need to wait. While we stood there and watched local people play basketball, a man came closed to me and wanted to invit us for a drink of rice wine at his home, I’m Hmong too, I know about Hmong’s sense of beauty, they invite us, that means they want us to drive rice wine with us, I just thought maybe it’s inconvenient for him, maybe he is just too hospitable, when I wanted to discuss with Mary and Robert for the request, they were already embraced by two young pretty Hmong girls, they lead them(Mary and Robert) to their homes for rice wine and meals, so I have to stay at the festival ground-basketball play ground and wait for the festival started and Mary and Rober. After about more or less 1 hour, Mary and Robert came back with the two girls, and I saw some young Hmong girls already dress gorgeous embroidered jackets, pleated skirts with nice silver ornaments, especially the big silver buffalo horns are easily seen to your eyes. An old women played the bronze drum, an old man carried a wood tub to follow the rhythm of the music, according the old tradition, usually only men are allowed to beat the bronze drum, I know now many traditions are a little changed due to the development of economy, the ideas are changed too, and of course I know that old lady was very happy today, she wanted to show her excellent skill to the other villagers, of course the reimburse for her is that everybody seriously wanted her beat the musical instrument.

　　　When time passed sluggishly, more and more girls, women and children in gala dress came to join the dancing circle, it’s like to sing a beautiful folk song, to tell a lovely ancient tribal legend, to tell a happy mountain life, to show their beauty……

　　　I noticed that Mary and Robert really enjoy the festival, they liked the people, they were fond of the dance, they enjoyed the festival costumes, they enjoyed everything, they told me: “ this is their once a life experience”, they can’t imagine there is such an interesting festival with nice people at such remote mountain area”. The winter sunset goes down slowly, the dancing circle continues, but we had to leave for our hotel in Kaili, when the village was out of our view, it seems the mixed music of Lusheng playing, bronze drum-beating, people talking, rice wine drinking still reverberated in our soul and heart.