Miao's silver jewelry craft in Gaopo

2019-05-07

Miao's Silver Jewellery Craft is a folk art form born during the further development of Miao's social economy and can be found in Gaopoxiang and Qiantaoxiang, Huaxi District, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, Huishui, Longli, and Guiding County.

Legends of Miao's transporting gold and silver to build pillars to support the heavens, and the casting of the sun and moon recorded in the magnificent epic Ancient Songs of Miao People, is the earliest information available about the Miao's touch in gold and silver unearthed so far. Historical documents from as early as the Ming Dynasty reveal Miao's wearing silver jewelry, using phrases like "the wealthy wear gold and silver earrings, as many as five or six like chains of rings", "women's hair is usually fixed with long hairpins, and clothes are made of local brocade without lapels."

Miao silver jewelry came into being in the Ming Dynasty, became popular in the Qing Dynasty, and reached a peak in the 1980s. It has transformed from simple to complex, and from plain and practical to gorgeous and decorative. 

Gaopo's silver jewelry has a history of hundreds of years. It has always been made for Miao bracelets, necklaces and earrings in addition to dowry items to meet people's social needs. Gaopo silver craft is still passed on from generation to generation, maintaining the Miao's classic art of silver jewelry processing. The production process is completed through silver melting, soldering, molding, pressing, engraving, routing, gilding and other complex actions.


© The Guiyang Municipal People's Government. All Rights Reserved.
Presented by China Daily.
黔ICP备05001922号
© The Guiyang Municipal People's Government.
All Rights Reserved.
Presented by China Daily.
黔ICP备05001922号