Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

Night in Guiyang

By the time I arrived in Guiyang, it was around midnight and I was exhausted. I arrived at a hotel I wish I had more time in. After walking in freezing rain for several days, Guiyang was relative warm and dry and this hotel along the riverfront tourism area was awesome.

 

I was so tired, I didn’t even have much time to spend in this sweet massage chair.

I’m not sure I agree with ALL of these policies.

My host arranged a food delivery of “Chicken” which was almost an hour late, I was falling asleep when the old delivery man rang the bell, and he actually apologized in English.

This dish was… well… a challenge for me to eat. A whole chicken, chopped up with bone, beak, and feet and in an ultra spicy and super greasy chili sauce. Not bad, just challenging.

I was in a rush to sleep since I needed to be up early the next morning to meet my guide, Long.

 

Guiyang Breakfast

Long was a bit late having drank a bit too much the night before. We met in the hotel lobby and grabbed a taxi to some place in town for a local noodle dish for brunch. the small urban shack was packed, with a huge line, but they worked efficiently and in no time we had our bowls. I can’t say what specifically was in in, but it can be summarized as a bowl of noodles and pork entrails with chili oil and scallions. It was actually pretty good.

 

I was able to find my drink of choice: Pepsi Max

 

And we grabbed a high-speed train out into the country.

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

About 135 miles east of the city of Guiyang is one of the largest concentrations of the Miao people in China and the world. The Miao minority are spread across southern China and Southeast Asia, with higher concentrations in China, typically in mountainous regions.

While the true background of the Miao people is up for debate, there is strong evidence to support that they were the first inhabitants of China, populating the north and eventually driven south by the conquering Han people. Throughout the history of China, the Miao seem to have been at odds with the Han and their allies, sparking many rebellions and battles, and triggering a Miao genocide during the Qin Dynasty.  During the communist uprising , the Miao assisted Mao Zedong with supplies and guides as he escaped the Kuomintang during the Long March, ending the cultural strife, and creating relative stability since.

A Southeast subset of the Miao, the Hmong, were the victims of genocide in areas of Vietnam and Laos after the Vietnam War as a reprisal for the their support of American troops during the war.

The village at Xijiang is a living tribute to the Miao Minority: A historic site, a living museum, a village with a strong economy and amenities for inhabitants and tourists, and a community. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

 

The entrance to the village. Yep. More rain.

 

Once in the village it was a long trek to get up the narrow hillside allies and to the hotel. As I arrived the sun was going down. Here’s the view from the room.

 

After getting settled, Long and I decide to head out for some regional hot pot.  A tour guide by trade, he knows exactly where to go.

 

We down then up winding alleys and climb steps and traverse cobblestone streets. There’s not much English around here.

 

 

The hot pot here is a broth stuffed with veggies and a cup of chili spices. Raw beef is served on the side and you add it to the broth as you go.

 

 

 

It was delicious. A hot flavorful broth and very thick but tender cuts of beef. A fantastic meal that was complimented with local rice wine (which was very sweet)
We also grabbed a side of potatoes and leeks too.

 

Miao Village at night

After dinner we walked around a bit to check out the village and get some photos.

 

Pig feet seemed to be a common dish

 

This pedestrian street near the river was filled with food vendors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The village square where people come to dance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a small road up to the hillside to get a better view.