Hmong folk Miao - secrets of silver jewelry

The Hmong Miao are an ethnic group belonging to southern China, recognized by the Chinese government as one of 55 official minority groups. The people are famous for making silver jewelry, created from the purest sterling silver. What are the characteristics of the Hmong Miao people and what kind of jewelry do women, who belong to the ethnic group, wear? Find out more.

Interesting facts about the Hmong Miao people

History of the Hmong Miao people

The Hmong Miao are a people living mainly in the mountains of southern China. It inhabits the provinces of: Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan. Some subgroups of the people have migrated from China to Southeast Asia. They inhabit countries such as Burma (also known as Myanmar), northern Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. After the communist takeover of Laos in 1975, a large group of refugees from the Hmong Miao tribe were resettled in several Western countries - mainly in the United States, France and Australia.

The words Hmong Miao are generally two concatenated terms, referring to the indigenous people of southern China. How to understand it. Miao is a Chinese word widely applied to the Hmong Miao community, but does not reflect the self-definition of the people. This one strongly prefers the abbreviated name, which is simply Hmong (and sometimes Mong).

Hmong Miao - social and cultural aspects

The traditional attire of a Hmong Miao woman consists of a skirt, a shirt with a slit in the chest, a cloth that covers the front of the body and a small piece of cloth that covers the back. In addition, women also wear head scarves and leggings, and sometimes ornate dresses.

The Hmong Miao people are mainly engaged in knitting, forging, saddling horses, making wooden furniture, but also making jewelry from 99.9% pure silver. Interestingly, a well-known saying in China about the Hmong Miao people goes like this: "The beauty of a golden pheasant lies in its feathers, and the beauty of a Hmong Miao girl lies in her silver jewels." Shiny silver jewelry is stunning every time and enhances the Miao Hmong's style. Especially since Hmong Miao women often dress in it... from head to toe.

Silver in the culture of the Hmong Miao people

Silver on the heads of the Hmong Miao

The silver headdresses of the Hmong Miao people are quite showy and are worn only on very special occasions (such as weddings or important festivals). They consist of five different parts: a horn, a crown, a comb, flowers and a hairpin. We also have silver Hmong Miao horns, worn on the head as a headdress that mimics the horns of an ox. The two horns can be up to one meter apart. They are often engraved with an image of two dragons playing with a pearl - a symbol of an auspicious future. Some women decorate the horns with various types of silver pendants.

Of course, there is also the famous crown made of silver. The silver crown is the basis of headgear, although quite heavy. There are two popular types of silver crowns:

Crown one is entirely covered with silver flowers, birds, animals, bells and tassels. Behind the crown hangs twelve silver feathers reaching to the waist. This type is popular in the Huangping region of Guizhou province.
The second type of crown is usually seen in Leishan, Guizhou province. There are 29 silver flowers on top of the crown.

Hmong Miao and silver ornaments

Hmong Miao women wear silver combs on their heads as a kind of ethnic ornamentation. The silver ornaments are engraved with designs of flowers, birds, dragons or deer. Women also wear silver hair clips depicting birds, butterflies and flowers. The most striking designs include 10 silver flowers that look like a Chinese fan. Some hair clips look like sticks decorated with silver bells or long tassels.

Women of the Hmong Miao people also wear small silver earrings in the shape of flowers, birds, butterflies, dragons or plants. They also wear heavy oriental necklaces around their necks. Of course, there are also silver bracelets with engraved images of flowers, fish or dragons. Some bracelets have a wide band that resembles the cuffs worn by warriors in ancient times. Hmong Miao women usually boast 4 or 5 silver bracelets worn at once - sometimes there are more during festivals or holidays.

A silver ring must also be worn - usually quite small, shaped in flowers, birds or plants. In some areas of the Hmong Miao people, women wear rings on all their fingers, except their thumbs. Interestingly, women also wear small silver ankle bracelets that clasp over the foot. Silver rings are usually worn by children to ward off evil spirits and ensure them a... bright future.

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Hmong folk Miao - secrets of silver jewelry

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