Miao (苗族)

Geography of Miao (苗族)

One of the largest ethnic minority groups in southwestern China, the Miao live mostly in Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan and Hunan provinces as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.  Some also live on Hainan and in Hubei.

Miao villages comprise just a few families scattered on plains and mountain slopes. Rice, sorghum, peanuts, sugar cane and cotton are just some of the crops grown here. On Hainan, they also enjoy an abundance of tropical fruits.

• Population: 8,940,116
• Distribution:  Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hainan and Hubei
• Language: Miao
• Religion: Polytheism

History of Miao (苗族)

The history of the Miao people can be traced as far back as 2,000 years ago and were known as Miaos in Tang and Song period documents. They travelled west in the third century AD; in the fifth century, some moved to Guizhou and Sichuan; some were taken forcibly to Yunnan in the ninth century and others had settled on Hainan by the 1500s. The differences in these areas mean that dialect, clothes and names are also different among the Miao people, with some encountering communication problems because of language differences. Their festivals and arts also vary between different areas.

Language of Miao (苗族)

Their language, which has three main dialects (west Hunan, one in east Guizhou and the other in Sichuan, Yunnan and some of Guizhou), belongs to the Miao-Yao branch of Chinese-Tibetan, though some Miao people use other ethnic languages. Many speak Chinese as a result of hundreds of years of contact with Han people.

Traditions of Miao (苗族)

The Miaos’ staple foods also very from place to place and their houses are built from the plentiful wood in the areas. The styles vary, like everything else, between different Miao communities. Stilts support the houses in mountainous areas and animals live underneath. On Hainan and in Yunnan’s Zhaotong, they live in branch houses or thatched huts, which are made of mud-plastered bamboo or woven twigs and branches.

The youngest son in the typically small Miao family usually stays at home to take care of his elderly parents. Some Miao fathers’ names follow those of their sons, but generally Miao people use only one name.

Unmarried young people are free to court, but marriages are generally arranged by parents. Love tokens are exchanged at ‘mass courting’ events, when a couple are attracted to one another, though they still have to seek parental permission if they want to marry. The practice of ‘kidnapping’ brides meant that if a girl was kidnapped and she consented to the marriage, a wedding
feast was held. But she also had the right to refuse and, if she did, she was free to go.

Religion of Miao (苗族)

Miao communities have their own festivals and some of the same festivals fall on different dates. Traditionally, Miao people believed in several gods. Singing and dancing are prevalent in Miao culture, as are weaving, batik and embroidery.

Modern Times of Miao (苗族)

Miao society developed rapidly with the introduction of farming and by the end of the Tang dynasty, a class structure had evolved; ‘field people’ or serfs were under the rule of ‘officials’ or feudal lords.

Miao autonomous divisions were set up after 1951 and most are multi-ethnic. After the founding of the PRC, industry developed, with railways between Kunming and Guiyang and between Guizhou and Hunan. Public health and education have been improved, which has stamped out illiteracy and many diseases.