Shiquan Ancient Miao Village

　　Shiquan Ancient Miao Village is about 3 kilometers from the Apeng River and is the residential compound of the Shi family in Dahekou Village, Cangling Town, Youyang County. The Miao village is situated in a valley shaped like a winnowing basket, built against the mountain and surrounded by ancient trees and lush bamboo on three sides except for the entrance. Shiquan Ancient Miao Village is about 3 kilometers from the Apeng River and is the home of the Shi family in Dahekou Village, Cangling Town, Youyang County, with a history of over 500 years. Covering an area of more than 20,000 square meters, the village has 108 households and over 500 residents, all surnamed Shi.

　　The ancient village is divided into upper, middle, and lower sections, all inhabited by the Shi family. There are over 70 wooden houses, 108 households, and more than 500 villagers. The ancient village is tightly surrounded by over 1,000 ancient trees, over 500 terraced fields, and lush bamboo forests, making it even larger than the Guizhou Langde Miao Village, which was previously recorded in the "Chinese Museums Chronicle" as the "largest pristine Miao village in China". It is said that Shiquan Ancient Miao Village has a history of over 500 years.

　　The village is built against the mountain, occupying a hillside shaped like a peninsula, resembling a chair facing south. There are eight mountain springs in the entire village. These springs are not only clear, sweet, and never dry all year round, but also remain warm in winter and cool in summer. Since all the villagers are surnamed Shi, the place is called Shiquan, and thus the “Shiquan Miao Village” got its name. Another legend says that the area was once infested with ferocious beasts and venomous snakes, and no one dared to live there. Later, the ancestors of the Shi family came, set the mountain on fire to drive away the beasts and snakes, and then settled here. Hence, the small place name “Shiquan Miao Village” is also known as “Huoshaoxi Miao Village”.

　　In Shiquan Ancient Miao Village, there are rows of well-arranged wooden tile-roofed houses. Some are stilted buildings, some are courtyard houses. Some have three main rooms, some have five, and others have additional wing rooms besides the main ones.

　　The main rooms generally have five, seven, or nine pillars, while the wing rooms usually have five or seven. Most wing rooms are stilted, with the upper floor used as guest rooms and the lower floor for placing tools like stone mortars and mills. Some families use the upper floor of the stilted house as a study and bedroom, and the lower floor as livestock quarters.

　　For the three (or five) main rooms, the central one is the ancestral hall. This is where the family places ancestral tablets and worships their forebears—a sacred place where women, children, especially pregnant or postpartum women, are generally not allowed to enter. Locals believe that pregnant and postpartum women carry “blood impurity” and are considered unclean; entering the hall would insult the ancestors. The side rooms of the ancestral hall are usually bedrooms for the head of the household or adult married sons and daughters-in-law. The wings are typically used as kitchens or dining areas. The village preserves traditional cooking utensils such as ancient hearths, tripods, and cauldrons.

　　Behind the ancestral hall, there is a small room of less than 10 square meters, locally called the “Guangfang” (Official Room). It is said to be the bedroom used to receive government officials, hence the name. Hosting guests in the most honorable room right behind the main ancestral hall shows the host’s sincere respect for the visitors.

　　The old houses with blue tiles and gray walls have windows carved with exquisite patterns—flowers, birds, and animals. The floral designs mainly feature plum blossoms and peach blossoms; birds are typically magpies and phoenixes, and animals are mostly spotted deer and goats. Though faded over time, these carvings remain exquisitely crafted.

　　The wooden structures of every residence are joined without a single nail or iron fastener, yet the pillars, beams, and frames are all securely connected. Viewed vertically, the upper, middle, and lower parts of the houses consist of a triangular prism and two rectangular prisms, giving an impression of dignity, stability, intricate design, and elegant strength. Meanwhile, the stilted buildings feature delicate wooden mortise-and-tenon frameworks that are incredibly light. The Miao stilt houses emphasize a “light” effect, appearing as if “suspended in air,” standing with solid upper parts and open lower sections, creating a striking contrast.

　　Shiquan Ancient Miao Village is a