The "Six Villages Miao" of Bapu

The "Six Villages Miao" of Bapu

The "Six Villages Miao" of Bapu

"Ten thousand pearls in one jar gathered, even the Wing King bowed his head here. Royal soldiers embraced the sky-supporting pillar, drinking up the Yellow River till it flowed backward." This is the "Sucking Wine Poem" written by Shi Dakai, the Wing King of the Taiping Rebellion during the late Qing Dynasty, when he was among the Six Villages Miao.

The Six Villages Miao spans the Bapu and Xinglong townships of Dafang County, about 60 kilometers from the county seat, and consists of six natural villages. With a history of over 300 years, the Six Villages Miao is quite "legendary." Its history can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty when the Miao people here rebelled against the Qing Dynasty; in 1915, over 100 young Miao from the Six Villages Miao actively participated in the "Campaign Against Yuan and for National Protection"; in 1936, the Second and Sixth Corps of the Red Army established the "Six Villages Miao Guerrilla Unit" in the area...

Recently, reporters set out from Xin Kai Village in Bapu Township and walked on foot toward the Six Villages. About 1 kilometer east of the village, at the upper part of Huajiangzhai, amid lush green trees, an ancient thatched cottage stood quietly. Our companions explained that this five-pillar, three-bay, timber-boarded and bamboo-corner structured cottage was built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of over 200 years. It is the former site of the headquarters of the Six Villages Miao Guerrilla Unit formed by the Red Army.

Morning sunlight filtered through the green leaves, spotting the paths, thatched roofs, and farmyards of the Miao village. From time to time, farmers passed by with their children and livestock. Busy figures could still be faintly seen in the rice fields. Amid birdsong and faint singing, the village remained exceptionally tranquil. Several Miao girls sat chatting and singing in the courtyard, embroidering. Upon seeing visitors, they all turned their backs to us, too shy to speak. On a nearby bamboo pole hung their newly made dresses: pleated skirts in blue, white, and red, intricately embroidered with patterns representing their individual aesthetics and varying tastes.

It is said that the Six Villages Miao belong to a branch of the Miao ethnic group known as the "Crooked Comb Miao," characterized by knee-length skirts and white sashes. Their tops are tucked up at the front and back and fastened with a wide, elaborate waistband, also called the "Four-Tile Roof." We saw some elders wearing such attire, with a small wooden comb diagonally inserted in their hair, exhibiting strong three-dimensional artistic appeal and presenting an aesthetic that is both rustic and refined.

The people of the Six Villages Miao have a strong awareness of protecting their own ethnic culture. Many households still preserve a large number of cultural relics, such as the horn, battle sword, and local cannon gifted by Shi Dakai, as well as the beds and desks used by the Red Army. Moreover, due to minimal influence from external cultures, the houses, customs, language, songs and dances, festivals, and modes of production and life have all retained their original forms. "With appropriate protection, planning, and development, the Six Villages Miao has great potential as a unique tourist attraction," Yang Peng from the Dafang County Cultural Relics Management Office told reporters. Currently, the county is preparing to apply for the Six Villages Miao to be designated as a county-level cultural relics protection unit to better safeguard the local cultural heritage and historical artifacts.