Basha Miao Village, home to over 1,000 residents living in more than 400 households, lies on the southern border of Southwest China's Guizhou Province, and is tinted with its time-honored Miao traditions and a strong local flavor. Though situated by State Highway 321, the Miao villagers here have maintained the characteristic lifestyle of the Miao ethnic group, still retaining the living customs and dressing code of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Situated on the mountain, the village is abundant with Diaojiaolou (also called Mao's Wooden Houses, which are made of timber or bamboo and supported by wooden stakes above ground). A person with a high-angle view can see row upon row of bark roofs, which are overgrown with moss.

On the village's empty land or hillside are scattered many tall and big wooden rafts, which are set up for the villagers to dry unhusked rice. During harvest, local farmers first tie up the paddy, and then hang them onto the wooden rafts in bundles, giving the whole village a look of harvest. The pure and simple customs and morals of the local people can always guarantee the paddy's security.

  Unique Lifestyle and Costumes

Basha people belong to the Miao branch that is least affected by modern civilization. Even in the modern times, they still live very traditional lives. As an old saying goes, "men till and women weave." The local villagers' ethnic costumesthat are made and dyed (mostly in glazing deep blue) in the traditional way, tend to bring visitors back in time to hundreds of years ago, with the visitors believing they have returned to an ancient tribe.

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