Next Monba
Distribution and Population:The Miao ethnic minority has a population of 8,940,116 which is larger than most of minority groups in China. After immigration in a long history, today they live mainly in Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, Hubei, Hainan Provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Prefecture. They are divided into several branches, such as Black Hmong, White Hmong, Striped Hmong, etc.
Language:
The Miao language, which belongs to the Miao-Yao group of the Sino-Tibetan phylum, has developed into three dialects: the dialect of western Hunan Province, the one of eastern Guizhou Province and the one of ChuanQianDian (Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan). Due to a long time living with the Han and other people, they can also speak the Chinese, Dong and Zhuang languages. They have been writing their own Miao language based on Latin since 1956.
Religion:
The Miao people believe that everything in nature has a spirit, which incombination are mighty enough to control their lives. Every time there are disasters, they will invite a wizard to perform ceremonies designed to drive out the devil ghost. They worship their ancestors so much that memorial ceremonies are very grand. Sacrifices such as wine, meat, and glutinous rice are costly. Some Miao also believe in Catholicism or other Christian religions.
Food and Food Culture:
The staple food of the Miao ethnic minority is rice. Other dishes are meat and acidic soups. Pickled vegetables, hot seasonings and home-made wine are common at the table. Glutinous rice becomes a must during festivals and celebrations.
Crafts:
The Miao people are very skilled at handicrafts, such as embroidering, weaving, paper-cutting, batik, and jewelry casting. The Miao embroidery and silver jewelry are delicate and beautiful. From hats, collars, and cuffs to skirts and baby carriers, the patterns on their clothes are extremely colorful, complicated but with clean lines. Girls of around seven will learn embroidering from mothers and sisters, and when they become teenagers, they are quite deft.
Clothes:
Clothes of the Miao ethnic minority are diverse across regions. Men wear short coats and trousers, while women decorate themselves with very dainty and dazzling skirts and jewels. On their skirts, there are many patterns taking themes from life such as flowers, birds, etc. One of the most attractive, pleated skirts has as many as forty layers!
Festivals:
Divided by regions, the Miao people celebrate their festivals at different times, but they all have many, like the Dragon Boat Festival, the Huashan Festival, the Pure Brightness and the New Rice Tasting Festival (Chixin Jie). Among these, the Miao Spring Festival is the most important one that is held during the lunar ninth to the eleventh month.
The New Rice Tasting Festival is worth mentioning. To express their gratitude for the harvest, they will stream the newly ripe rice, brew wine with new rice, cook dishes with newly-picked vegetables and freshly caught fish.
The Lusheng dance is a unique musical performance of the Miao ethnic minority during nearly every celebration. While playing the lusheng, a kind of wind instrument, they dance in demanding patterns, and sing to each other.
Recommended Video Clips:
Miao Minority Dance
Bagpipe Dance of Miao Ethnic Group
Dance During Miao Festival
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Travelers' Voices on Miao Nationality
1.
Apr. 10,2009 09:34 Reply
Mr.Her(China) said:
Upon reading books from many scholors, I learned and confirmed that Chi You, was the Hmong/Miao (preferred-Hmong) Emperor. Even history showed that Chi You (the Hmong Emperor) defeated Huangdi/Yuandi defeated approximately 4000 to 4500 years ago, his Hmong people still alive and will still be alive forever. May God bless Chi You's people (the Hmong) until their designated destination is reached, his enomies, and the world...amend.
May. 17,2009 01:01
Mr.Hmong(USA) replied:
Mr.Her, are you really from China and your last name is Her?? myself is Her too..
2.
Apr. 25,2009 12:43 Reply
Mr.yajtub(USA) said:
China is a melting pot like the U.S.A. Han is the Majority and many others manority. a lot of people who convert to Han are from manority. I went to china 2005 and met a professor, he's tribe use to be Leo who lives near Korea. He told me many tribe has disappear to be han including his. I would said according to miao history, a lot of miao has convert to be han due to poverty and war just like other minority group. if you can trace miao history back to upper north of beijing during chiyou tribe to yellow river during miao kingdom to miao in Guizhou. you can see how far miao history has come include us living in the US today.
3.
Apr. 22,2009 17:10 Reply
Ms.lee(USA) said:
Hmong/Miao people are the same ethnic group. In America they are known as the HMong and in China they are call Miao, my father said it is believe that the chinese could not pronounce our name and call us Miao.
4.
Apr. 15,2009 17:26 Reply
Mr.vang (USA) said:
The terms Hmong (pronounced [m????]) and Mong ([m???]) refer to an Asian ethnic group in the mountainous regions of southeast Asia. Hmong are also one of the largest sub-groups in the Miao minzu population in southern China. Beginning in the 18th century, Hmong groups began a gradual southward migration due to political unrest and to find more arable land. As a result, Hmong currently also live in several countries in Southeast Asia, including northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Burma.
5.
Apr. 8,2009 09:57 Reply
Ms.Yang(USA) said:
Wow! I'm a Hmong and always wonder how the Hmong and the Miao are connected. I know somehow that our ancestors were from China but??? Since a bit confuse.
6.
Mar. 31,2009 17:28 Reply
Mr.Vang(USA) said:
i believe that all you are right..no matter what stand point you are coming from. but one thing, miao is a derrogative word used to make the hmong powerless, in hmong, miao means cats. So to return the favor, we call them ow(dog) because we are not savages, were just people looking for acceptance.! beleive that! wisconsin 920
7.
Mar. 30,2009 23:13 Reply
Ms.Fumbee-Bunny!(U.S.A.) said:
I think all those indigenous tribal people of southern China.North Vietnam,Thailand,Bruma,Laos,
etc. are all cool:)
I have been fascinated by all of this for a long time!
I mean all that Asian stuff.
Some of their clothes look like our clothes!
I'm from the U.S.A., and Colombus thought he discovered the Americas and we were already here!
Have a nice day! :)
FROM CHIBCHA :)
8.
Mar. 12,2009 13:06 Reply
Mr.Long(usa) said:
Hi, I'm Hmong living in the US. Never even Knew they had that many
Hmong/Miao living in China. To bad we all speak different languages. Not every Hmong here speaks Hmong, so I kind of understand how that can be. I would love to visit there one day. Very nice looking country.
Mar. 25,2009 10:31
Mr.Yajsab(USA) replied:
Information about Miao and Hmong is in the book of Liv Xwm. The Evidences of Hmong and Miao is the clothes they wear and words they speak or talk it.
Anyway, if you want to knows more about Miao and Hmong travel with me this year. I taken it the Pajzaub khab to China this coming summer and for the first time of Hmong and Miao histories in 4000 years since Hmong and Miao seperate apart. She will be the first beauty Hmong girl to visit China.
Yajsab
Mar. 28,2009 12:01
Mr.Long(USA) replied:
Thanks, for your info YajSab. China is my next step
In tracing my (our) roots. I will have to read
Up on that book. It's nice to know that their are
Other people out there that cares. Would
Love to see A YouDuo sing live one day, much
Love in the way she promote her heritage.
9.
Feb. 18,2009 14:14 Reply
Ms.yaj(united states) said:
I would like to know where the Hmong villages are in Guizhou province? specifily where the Hmong batik artist are?
Thank you.
Mar. 25,2009 10:18
Mr.Yajsab(USA) replied:
I am a Hmong and miao, if you want to knows where is the village of Miao in Guizhou privnces, its not hard to find them. You goes to china you say I want to go to Miao villages, there is thousand and thousand Miao villages. you gonna takes year to travel to finish in Miao villages. But, Guizhou Miao live in Kailin is the larger villages in the province of Guizhou.
Thank you.
Yajsab
10.
Mar. 4,2009 08:43 Reply
Ms.Yaj(USA) said:
I am a 22 year old young lady in Fresno and I say it's a very sad thing, that us Hmongs/Miaos don't have physical evidence about our histories. Besides stories being told from generations to generations, not everyone know where we are really from. Yet, some of our stories don't match up. For instance, our leaders, or kings/queens, our hero/heroine, and our country or how we lost it. Even as we speak today, not everyone knows where we really originate from, and why. Many other just know that we move from places to places because of wars, yet are there any truths to why. Still, there are those who would mock and say the reason why we are without a country is because we don't unite. Which is why i wonder, if we,"in the USA" says that does everyone else that is Hmong/Miao in other country says the same thing too. If so, did our leaders do something wrong, or was it our people that betrayed our country. Will there be a day where we would praise about our kind and be united with one another without prejudging where we are from, what clan, and our dialects.
Mar. 6,2009 02:13
Mr.Thao(USA) replied:
if you are really interested in hmong history, its in our genes. i have provided a link if you would like to learn more. long story short, our genes testify that hmong people indeed originated in central china and have had the most interaction (good or bad) with 'northern asians', i.e. han chinese, as the article classifies them. evidence in our traditions and now genes support the long held belief that we are Chi You's people.
http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/22/3/725#