Miao Village: Xiaomaopoying

　　The Miao Village is situated in Xiaomaopoying Village, Gaoluo Township, Xuan’en County, approximately 15 kilometers northwest of Gaoluo Town and reachable by a village road. It is the most concentrated Miao ethnic settlement in the county, predominantly inhabited by families surnamed Long, Feng, and Shi. The villagers have preserved their native language and traditional customs. It is the only Miao community in Hubei Province where the Miao language is still spoken, and its Miao ethnic primary school continues to offer bilingual education. This makes it the only Miao cultural tourism site in both Hubei Province and Enshi Prefecture. Legend has it that as early as the Qing Dynasty, after the failure of the Miao uprising in Hunan, many Miao people fled their homes to escape persecution by Qing troops and sought refuge elsewhere. Among them, three Miao families—Long, Shi, and Feng—from Yongshui in Hunan (now Huayuan County, Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture)—after a long and arduous journey, finally settled in the remote mountain valley of Xiaomaopoying. It has been over 20 generations since then, with tombstone records indicating a history of more than 400 years. Visitors to the village can enjoy traditional Miao hand-waving dances, as well as wedding and funeral songs, experiencing the authentic Miao folk culture.