The distinctive, low-key ethnic tribes of Miao has been the focus of the art world. Living in remote mountainous areas in southern China, they make some of the world’s best silver jewelry, embroidery, as well as batik works.
Today, as one of earliest ethnic groups to live in China, the Miaos are drawing curious looks to its ancient games played nowhere else.
The large number of tourists coming for Miaos’ big celebrations speak it all.
One of the biggest and most popular Miao holidays is Pa Dao Shan, or ‘Climbing Knife Mountain’. Correctly! It’s ‘knife mountain’ to climb.
Pa Dao Shan, or ‘Knife Mountain Climbing’, comes in August each year on the Chinese lunar calendar. On the day of the game, villagers from nearby tribes all turn out to watch.
On the day of the game, a ladder as high as 25 meters is erected. It looks nothing different than an usual ladder except that the rungs are all sharp knifes with edges pointing upward. All the way up, there can be as many as 50 rungs. Even more intimidating, the participants have to do the climbing barefooted.
Contestants of this game have to be extremely careful and properly trained. A small slip could cause major injury. But contestants keep coming, they have to, for the girls are watching.
Miao girls, usually spectors, stand nearby to sing as a way to cheer for her significant one. If he is brave enough, she might accept his proposal of being his girlfriend or wife. To let the young man know she is there for him, she wear colorful costume and is dressed in an extravaganza set of silver jewelry from top to toe.
A Miao contestant need to do acrobatic moves if he wants to impress the judges, and the girls watching nearby.
He uses the least amount of time and gives the fancies performance wins the game.
D. Cheng likes researching craftman techniques to make silver jewels. Discover more about this subject. Visit his website about silver jewels here.