Chinese Silk

Colorful Chinese Miao holidays: relaxation and excitement

Who are the Miao?

Inhabiting the mountainous south and southwestern China, the Miao like to enjoy themselves during their happy holidays. They sing, dance, and enjoy big meals with friends together. For young people, holidays are a good occasion to look for their significant other. Girls are especially beautiful on such occasions, with their huge sets of silver jewelry and embroidered garments.

The Miao New Year

Because they follow the lunar calendar, the Miao New Year can come in September, October, or November. Before the New Year, people have a general house-cleaning, and prepare special food like glutinous rice paste, rice wine, sausage, and bean curd. Women will make new clothes for their family members.

People stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve, then they go outside to light firecrackers to invite dragons into their home. At dawn, they will hold a ceremony to worship their forefathers. A cow is regarded as an auspicious animal, so its nose will be put some wine to show that people respect it. After breakfast, people visit neighbors to send New Year’s wishes and greetings.

On the first two days of the New Year, people are not allowed to cut wood on the mountains, or do cleaning work at home. Women are liberated from housework like cooking, and men will cook for their family.

Girls dress up with beautiful silver ornaments and embroidered garments to go to meet the boys. Some young men will go to other villages on foot to join in different kinds of social activities.

The Miao New Year lasts nine days. It's the golden time for young people to get married.

Huashan Festival

There are various Huashan, or “Flower Mountain,” festivals held in different Miao areas. Some are in August, and others are in January or May of the lunar calendar.

On that day, a pole adorned with colorful flags is placed at the heart of a playing field. On top of the pole is a red pouch with reward inside. As a man declares the kickoff of the festival, an exciting pole climbing games starts. The man who can climb to the top of the pole first to take the pouch, while playing his Lusheng wind instrument, will get the reward. It's difficult for anyone to climb a pole whilst play an instrument! The pole, made of peeled pine wood, is tall, smooth, and thin. The champion will be able to get the respect of other people, especially the single women.

Other games, like horse races, bullfights, and archery, are also held during the festival. Women like to show each other their great sewing skills and the men are busy displaying their physical strength.

Single young people will use the occasion to sing love song and look for lovers. If they find someone who grab their hearts, they will give some private things to each other, such as a waistband or silver hair pin. Elderly people go to see friends and exchange their thoughts about farming and current affairs. The festival lasts a whole day and ends in the late evening.

Sister Festival: Miao Valentine’s Day

The Miao Sister Festival is also called Miao Valentine’s Day, as it’s a holiday for single women to invite young men from other villages to meet. The festival happens in mid-March on the lunar calendar.

On March 13th, Miao girls go to the mountains to pick special leaves and flowers used as food dyes. They then cook colorful, sweet, and delicious glutinous rice. There are five different colors mixed together in the rice. Green symbolizes their beautiful hometown, red indicates the prosperity of their village, yellow wishes for a golden harvest, blue or violet stands for wealth, and white implies their pure and true love.

The second day they go to fish mountain streams. In the afternoon they will buy a duck and duck eggs to prepare a big meal. Their meal can't lack the duck, because a swimming duck means the girls are able to meet men from the other side of the river.

In the evening, when the men finally come, they will dine together, then go outside to talk and sing songs to express their feelings. The girls will be sure to wear their most beautiful silver jewelry like silver bracelets, as this is a symbol of beauty and status in Miao culture.

The holiday is over on March 17th. Lots of activities and games are held during that time, like dance competition, horse fighting, bullfights, etc.

Before the men go back to their home, the girls will present them bamboo baskets with duck, eggs, fish, and glutinous rice. Some special things are put in the basket to show how they like the men. Cotton means they will always have their partner in their mind. A bunch of pine leaves implies they like to have some needles and thread. Pepper or garlic indicates they won't have future.

The men will bring some silk in these baskets for the girls when they come again next year.

Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival falls on May 5 of the lunar calendar, and thousands of people gather together to watch the exciting boat races. The competing teams row their boats in the shape of dragons on a river or lake, while drums are beat and loud firecrackers are set off from the banks.

April 8 Festival

The April 8th festival is held to remember the Miao’s hero Yanu, who died on this day while fighting against an invading tribe. The Miao will get together to hold traditional activities like playing Lusheng music, singing, and performing the lion dance.

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