Who is the Miao?
Can you imagine carrying 40 pounds of pure silver jewelry from head to toe? Well, Miao is a nation that proudly display the beauty of their handmade, elaborately designed silver jewelry in a way which covers almost the entire body! Living in the mountainous areas in southern and southwestern China
Silver headdresses
Miao silver headdresses are quite eyesight and are worn only in very special occasions such as weddings or important holidays. They have three different parts: the horns, hood and hat.
Silver Horn: The silver horn is the main part of a Miao silver headgear and are designed to mimic the horns of an ox. The locket spans approximately three meters from one horn to another, and when almost the same height. So they can be almost half the height of the user!
The patterns of the horns are quite impressive. They often sport a beautiful design of two dragons playing with a ball. Women make some silver flowers, butterflies, or a few white feathers on the horn to make it bigger and more attractive.
Silver Hat: A silver hat is the bottom of the headgear and can be a meter high. It is entirely decorated with silver birds, flowers, tassels and bells. There are twelve pieces of silver feathers hanging behind the hat and come to their waist.
Silver hood: the silver cap hanging from his hat and covers parts of the face and neck. In some Miao areas, there are five sparkling jewelry located on the silver cap, with the biggest falls in the middle of his forehead and let others around the ears.
And in other areas, a silver cap has three different layers. The highest layer sport 29 sparkling, round silver flowers. The middle layer has a round glass shows off the center, and 14 warriors riding horses on each side. The lowest layer is the fringe.
Silver hairpins
Miao silver hairpins have always had flowers, birds and butterflies. The most striking design feature 10 silver flowers that resembles a Chinese fan. Beautiful translucent beads in the flowers and five silver phoenix fluttered around the middle.
Some hairpins are like chopsticks with silver bells or tassels adorned on them.
Silver Board
Miao women use a silver comb to adorn their hair. It is made of wood and covered with thin silver discs. On the surface of a comb, the design of birds, flowers, or the image of a Bodhisattva. Some combs sports large silver chains fall down.
Silver Earrings
Complex Miao unique silver jewelry is often shaped like flowers, birds, butterflies, dragons, or plants. Miao women like to wear 3 or 4 pieces of silver earrings at the same time. Reach directly to their shoulders, a single silver earring weight is 200 grams. But many small earrings are wires that are as thin as a piece of paper.
Silver neck rings
Wide silver neck rings similar necklaces in the West, but they are rigid and have many pendants hanging down from them. There are many types of neck rings popular in Miao areas. A dragon silver neckband features two dragons playing with a ball and have 11 different ornaments hanging from it. Another type of neck strap has 14 silver rings linked together with silver butterflies and birds hanging from each ring.
Silver bracelet
The Miao silver bracelet engraved with images of flowers, fish, or dragons. Some bracelets have a broad, heavy bands like the cuffs worn by ancient warriors. Miao men usually wear 4 or 5 pair of silver bracelets at once, sometimes more during festivals or holidays.
Silver Rings
A Miao silver ring is usually quite small and has fine pieces of silver, bent and shaped into flowers, birds or plants. In some areas, Miao women wear rings on all eight of their fingers, with only their thumbs for free. Some of the rings are large enough to cover half the length of their fingers.
Silver Clothing
Tiny silver plates or wires are usually woven into the fabric of Miao clothing. There are about 40 square or round pieces of silver, which can used. When place on a silver garment, clothing shine beautifully when Miao walk or dance.
Each piece is engraved with fantastic patterns as Phoenix
Also, sometimes as many as 60 silver bells to hang from the clothing that makes a beautiful sound and add to the overall look.
Silver Track
A silver lining features hundreds of silver images of Bodhisattva sewn onto a piece of cloth. The images sparkle beautifully when Miao dances with the waistband around their waist.
Silver Anklets
Last but not least is the small but robust silver anklets to strap over the foot. Miao children wear silver anklets to ward off evil spirits.
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