Singing and dancing.           Photo: e-musuem.com.cn

Music is an important part of Miao life, and music is a way to express their feelings. So whether during a banquet to welcome guests from far away, a wedding, or a funeral, you can always enjoy their colorful, unique music performances while admiring their silver jewelry.

Miao music is characterized by its high pitches and sweet melodies. The Miao like to mimic all sounds of nature to give their music a wild sound.

The Lusheng

The Lusheng has thousands of years of history and is a simple bamboo wind instrument. Usually Miao men play the Lusheng with women dancing around them. Nearly every Miao man can play this music from an early age.

Lusheng music performace.                  Photo: gov.cn

One exciting Lusheng performance is the "Three Wooden Posts Dance." Two men dance and play a Lusheng together while jumping around on three small posts. A tiny mistake can send both performers toppling to the ground.

Miao women watch this performance with excitement, all the while wearing pounds of silver jewels.

In ancient times, the Miao lived on hunting and gathering. They had find various kinds of animals for survival. It is said that a man picked up some bamboo branches and blew through them to imitate the sounds of the animals.

This way, he could attract and capture them.  So eventually the Lusheng was developed, and the movements of a Lusheng dance frequently copy those of the wild animals the Miao once hunted.

Miao Drums

The Miao believe their ancestors were born from the heart of a maple tree. So a drum made of maple wood and cowhide is where their ancestors' souls reside.

Miao woman beats a big drum.      Photo: nphoto.net

With two people beating a drum, other people dance to the exciting rhythm.

They beat this drum to wake the souls of their ancestors, and hope they will bless later generations with a prosperous future.

In ancient times, drum music was performed during sacrificial ceremonies. Now it's often played during Miao holidays.

Leaf Music?

A small leaf picked from a tree can be a musical instrument! Yes, the Miao will hold the leaf between their pointer finger and middle finger, and blow on the leaf while holding it close to their lips.

For young Miao men, playing this leaf music is an essential skill when pursuing a girl, almost as important as sending her handmade silver jewels. This simple but intoxicating music even can touch the heart of passersby.