The interesting migration history of Chinese Miao
Who are the Miao?
The Miao people are an ethnic group inhabiting mainly in China and southeast Asia. Over the past several thousand years, they have migrated numerous times throughout China, and these journeys are reflected in their unique handmade embroidery, Chinese silver jewelry , and batik artwork. There were many reasons for this movement, but ancient wars were usually the cause.
The first big migration
Over 5,000 years ago, the Miao resided in the Yellow River and Yangtze River areas of central China. Chi You, a great general, was their leader. It's said that his forehead was very sturdy like iron, and his copper head had a pair of protruding horns. Chi You created the first Chinese law, a criminal law in his clan.
Chi You directed the Miao to defeat many tribes. They were excellent at manufacturing various kinds of swords, spears, arrows, and bows.
Chi you and his people were ruined in a war with another powerful clan. He was murdered, and his body and head were placed in two different sites. It's said that the first maple tree was from his blood.
Chi You was dead, however his soul and story even touched the heart of his opponents, who drew his picture on their flags to inspire their soldiers.Then the Chinese emperors recognized him as the god of war.
In order to remember Chi You, today in Miao's holidays people would dress themselves with a big silver headdress adorned with silver horns and long silver bracelets. Also, a maple tree is considered to be a special totem among the Miao.
After Chi You died, some Miao groups were seized and merged into the Chinese Han nationality. But the majority of them had to discard their home and went to the south of China.
Continued movement
Throughout most of Chinese history, the Han nationality has been the most powerful and has generally dominated the whole country. Because the Miao were an ethnic group in Chinese history, so they were constantly harassed by the Han rulers. Because of the constant wars and persecution, the Miao had to migrate throughout China.
As early as 2,000 years ago, the Miao inhabited the mountain areas of southern and southwestern China, in which the majority Miao people reside today.
More than 700 years ago, some Miao people came to the countries of southeast Asia, like Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam, and lived there. When the Vietnam War was over in the 1970’s, some Miao refugees went to America, Australia, and Europe. Today there are about 280,000 Miao people inhabiting western countries.
Today
Despite widespread migration, the Miao have kept their unique culture and tradition alive to this day.
Without historical texts, they embroider their memory of the past onto every elaborately designed needle work. While enjoying their embroidery, you will find each embroidered piece means something that is about their history, culture, and belief. Even that’s not the most impressive thing, because the Miao craft elaborate silver jewelry.