The Miao People And Gu

Gu is an imagined venomous insect in ancient legend, which survive from struggling with other venomous insect in a box. The gu is used to harm people. The concept of gu in Han people come from imagining the relation between the cause of illness and the witch behavior. People fear the gu and the men who feed them. In late historical writings, and particularly from Ming times on ward, gu is also associated with non-Han people. The Miao people is imagined especially by Han people. The imagination has made Han people fearing the Miao people by illness, rumor, and cultural product.The rumor of gu cross through ethnic border and prevail in Miao society. A belief of "gu" as a kind of poisoning witchcraft also prevail among the Miao. Many cases of the illness or death of human or their animals are blamed on "gu". The villagers distant the man with gu far from themselves. They don't get touch with the men who come from the family of gu till it is necessary. The taboo of gu prevent the villagers from marrying with them.The rumor of gu in Han society can be discuss in public. The rumor in Miao society can be discuss only in private. The Han people imagine the Miao people bringing illness with poison. The villagers in Miao society also imagine some other making them in troubles.Imagine and rumor have an effect on our society. Someone is imagined, hurt and rejected. It is not because of their behaviors andmoralities. It is only because that they are looked and treated as the other.