The Housing Environment of the Miao People

The Miao people tend to form villages based on clan. Each clan in Guizhou will build their own village on separate mountain slopes. Most houses are made out of wood with a mountain-shaped structure and greatly varying styles. The houses at the foot of the Qingshui River are the "tongue-mouth-shaped" single-storey structures with three rooms in a row. The middle room is shaped like a tongue and mouth. One side room is used for fire-pit, dinner, meeting and receiving guests, while the other is for sleeping. But in the mountain areas, houses are mainly hillside pile-dwellings, usually of three stories. The ground floor is used as the kitchen and animal fold, the second floor for sleeping in, and the third floor for storage.

The environment surrounding Miao villages is also vibrant, yet peaceful. It is their tradition to plant bamboo and trees in order to beautify their village environment. This greenery is plentiful both inside and outside the village. A large variety of trees have been planted including: Chinese sweet gums, verdant pines, and cypresses while stools have been installed to give visitors a scenic place to take a rest and enjoy the surroundings. This pleasant environment and graceful hillside dwellings combine to form a truly charming scene.