An Ethnographic Study Of The Social Life Of The Miao In The Qiandongnan Area During The Qing Dynasty

After the opening of the Miao area in the Qing Dynasty,the social life of the Miao in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province gradually changed as the Qing government became more and more perfect in its rule,and as the "Guest " continued to enter and develop their trade.Using an ethnographic approach and based on a variety of historical sources,this study examines the life of the Miao people in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province during the Qing Dynasty,restoring the social life and social structure of the Miao at that time and in the region,and using this as a basis to explore the social order created and maintained by the Miao in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province during the Qing Dynasty,based on the rituals.The most significant event of the Qing dynasty that took place in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province was the opening of the Miao area.After this,the Qing government set up the "Six Miao Area Halls" south-eastern part of Guizhou Province,namely the Guzhou Hall,the Dujiang Hall,the Bazhai Hall,the Danjiang Hall,the Qiaogong Hall and the Qingjiang Hall,under the three prefectures of Liping,Duyun and Zhenyuan.Geographically,the "Six Halls of the Miao Area" are adjacent to the provinces of Hu’nan and Guangxi,and straddle the area enclosed by the Guzhou River and the Qingshui River,with the Leigong Mountain as the centre of their surroundings.In the Qing Dynasty,the Miao lived in this geographical area of two rivers and one mountain,and were distinguished from the Han and the Barbarians.The Miao were a group of people who lived in the geographical area formed by the "two rivers and one mountain".Due to geographical constraints,the "Miao" of the Qing dynasty were mainly agriculturalists,but with the rise of water transport,trade also flourished,most notably in timber and household goods.With the development of Guizhou by the Qing government and the gradual rise of transport,the "Guest " began to arrive in Guizhou,some of whom stayed in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province."The most obvious change in the life of the "Miao" was the increase in productivity and the change in the social division of labour brought about by the interaction,exchange and integration of the "Miao" and the "Guest".The Qing government strongly supported the development of agriculture,and surplus products began to emerge from the economic production of “Miao” families,so the “Miao” gradually joined the system of commerce and trade.This led to the development of the “Miao”’s economy and the production of surplus products.The prosperity of commerce and trade also brought about changes in the social life of the “Miao”in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province during the Qing Dynasty,such as the division of labour and the structure of their diet.The family and social structure of the "Miao" in Qing dynasty of the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province was the framework of order in the life.The "Miao" society of the Qing dynasty was based on small patrilineal families.Due to the constraints of subsistence resources,"Miao" families did not develop into clans,but gathered in small kinship groups,several of which made up the village.As the village becomes saturated with subsistence resources,it fractures and old blood and geographical ties are gradually broken off,and new social networks are reconstructed in the new village.Marriage and childbirth,two of the most important time points,or thresholds,in the life of the "Miao",involve a redistribution of rights and resources,and the main purpose of such a linkage of interests is to ensure the continuity of society.One of the most important aspects of the social and organisational life of the "Miao" in the Qing dynasty was their spiritual life,which included myths and legends,religious beliefs and festivals.Since there is no written text,the myths of the "Miao" have been handed down orally,and many of these details reveal the cultural changes that took place in the course of the "Miao" ’s social development.The establishment of the official ritual system and the completion of the folk belief system indicate that the integration of the "Miao" and the "Guest" in the south-eastern area of Guizhou Province had reached a certain level.The timing of the festivals is closely related to the economic production of the “Miao”,reflecting the cyclical nature of “Miao” society.As the “Miao” living in a corner of southwestern China during the Qing Dynasty,the order of their social operation followed the "rituals",which were the main rule that supported the operation of Chinese culture.The construction of rituals was on the one hand done spontaneously within the “Miao” society,and on the other hand by the state power through various administrative means outside the “Miao” society."The "rituals"linked the “Miao” society to the state.At the same time,the culture of the “Miao” in the south-eastern part of Guizhou Province during the Qing dynasty is logically consistent with the culture of other regions of China during the same period,a historical representation of the Chinese national community.