About national customs and etiquette

When Miao people receive guests, their owners will wear holiday clothes. The host went to the roadside outside the village to welcome the guests. Sometimes even parties are held. When the guest arrived at the door, the host called the door in the form of singing to inform the hostess that the distinguished guest had arrived, and the hostess opened the door to welcome the guests with singing. Miao people regard chickens and ducks as delicacies, and regard their hearts and livers as the most precious. Miao people avoid eating dog meat. No one is allowed to sit in the place where the Miao ancestral temple is located, and no one is allowed to whistle at home or at night.

Stepping into the threshold of Miao family, the first thing you see is all kinds of grain hanging on the roof beam, which is the pride of Miao family and a symbol of bumper harvest. The wooden stool in the corridor is called "everyone depends" by Miao people, which means everyone can sit and rest. The trumpet hanging at the entrance of Miao family is a mascot to exorcise evil spirits and a tool for Miao family to toast. Among the many welcoming etiquette of Miao family, the most grand and elegant is Baijiao wine. Legend has it that when visiting the Miao family, just touching the horn will bring good luck, and at the same time stepping on the board in the middle of the hall. This board is called "Peace Bridge", which can make people feel safe and happy.

Miao people are very hospitable. Guests will kill chickens and ducks when they come. Parents or the most prestigious old people in the same family will give them chicken hearts or duck hearts. According to Miao custom, guests can't eat it all at once, but must share it with the old people in the same seat to show selflessness.

Eating New Year's Eve is the most sacred moment for Miao people, and the whole family must get together. At this time, it is especially taboo for outsiders to visit, thinking that the whole family will not be at peace during the New Year. In order to let outsiders know that the host is eating, firecrackers should be set off before meals, and then a door should be half closed. When outsiders see it, they will not enter the house to disturb the host's dinner.

Although Miao people have lived in remote mountain villages for generations, they are simple-minded and very polite.

Young people meet their elders. When young people meet their elders, whether they are male or female, whether they are familiar with each other or meet for the first time, they should speak sincerely, behave respectfully and greet them with a smile, and use certain respectful words to match them. If the younger generation is walking and meets the elderly or elders, they must stop; If the younger generation is sitting and the older generation comes, stand up immediately and let them sit down. Eyes straight, hands down. If you meet an elder you don't know, the other person is ten or twenty years older than you, and the man is called "De Ne" and the woman is called "De Mu". For the elderly, men are called "Ada" (grandfather) or "An Neng **" or "An Neng Guo" (old man), while women are called "Ada" (grandmother) or "An Neng * * *". After addressing, the younger generation can sit down or stay with each other.

See peers in the same trade. When people of the same age meet, they must nod. If you know each other, you should address each other with a fixed address; If you don't know, men can be called "A Lang" (eldest brother) or "Baqiu" (cousin), and women can be called "Aya" (elder sister).

The elders look at the younger generation. When an elder sees a younger generation, he usually nods. Acquaintances use fixed titles to address each other; If a stranger is in the prime of life, men can be called "Dena" and women can be called "Aya". If the other person is young, both men and women can be called "German dog" (little brother and little sister).

Miscellaneous gifts When an old man or elder walks with a young man or younger generation, the young man or younger generation must let the old man or elder go ahead. Young and old eat at the same table, old people sit on it, and mature people sit on it. Most people can sit on both sides. When young and old sit down and chat at the fire pit on the ground floor, the side near the pillar is used to letting guests, elders or old people sit. In other respects, freedom at will.

Miao people now mainly live in the southeast of Guizhou province, Damiaoshan, Hainan Island in Guangxi and the border areas of Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces. The population is 7.398 million (1the fourth census in 1990), ranking fourth among all ethnic minorities.

In China's ancient books, there are records of Miao ancestors as early as 5000 years ago, that is, clans and tribes called "Naman" from the Yellow River valley to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Miao nationality has its own language, and Miao language belongs to Miao language branch of Sino-Tibetan language family. There are three dialects: Xiangxi, Qiandong and Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan. After 1956, the Latin alphabet writing scheme was designed. Due to the long-term contact between Miao and Han, a large number of Miao people are fluent in and use Chinese.

Miao is a nation that can sing and dance well, especially flying songs, love songs and wine songs. Lusheng is the most representative musical instrument of Miao nationality.

Agriculture is dominant in Miao areas, supplemented by hunting. Miao people's arts and crafts such as flower picking, embroidery, brocade, batik, paper cutting and handcraft are magnificent and colorful, and they are well-known at home and abroad. Among them, the batik process of Miao nationality has a history of thousands of years. There are more than 130 kinds of Miao costumes, which can be compared with the costumes of any nation in the world.

Miao jump flower festival. "jump flower festival" is a cultural activity characterized by playing Lusheng, supplemented by singing and dancing, and it is also a good opportunity for Miao costumes to be displayed wonderfully.

Miao people used to worship nature and ancestors. The larger festival is "Victoria Song" (ancestor worship), which is held once a year after autumn. Bullfighting is a favorite activity of Miao people. Bullfighting activities are held every year in the first month, Duanyang, Torch Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Miao etiquette includes: when guests visit, they will slaughter chickens and ducks to show their hospitality. If you are a distinguished guest from afar, some places will put wine in front of the village to welcome you. When eating chicken, the head of the chicken should be given to the older guests, and the drumsticks should be given to the youngest guests. In some places, there is also the custom of dividing chicken hearts, that is, the oldest owner in the family gives chicken hearts or duck hearts to the guests with chopsticks, and the guests can't eat them themselves, so they must divide the chicken hearts equally among the old people present. Some places also offer "Horn Wine" and "Cockcomb Meat", which are accepted by the guests one by one, which makes the host most happy. If the guest drinks less and doesn't like fat meat, it can explain the situation. If the host is not reluctant, but dissatisfied with eating and drinking, it is considered to look down on the host.

Colorful Miao costumes

Miao autonomous region

After the establishment of People's Republic of China (PRC), it has successively established:

Hainan Li and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (1 July 9521)

Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, Guangxi (1952165438+1October 26th)

Guizhou Weining Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County (1954165438+10/1)

Guizhou Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (1July 23, 956)

Guizhou Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (1August 8, 956)

Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, Hunan Province (1956165438+1October 30th)

Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province (1September 20, 957)

Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province (1 April 9581)

Guizhou Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County (1963 September 1 1)

Guizhou Ziyun Miao and Buyi Autonomous County (1966 February 1 1)

Guizhou Guanling Buyi and Miao Autonomous County (19811231)

Guizhou Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (1 982 May1)

Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Sichuan Province (1983165438+1October 7)

Sichuan Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (1983165438+1October1)

Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Western Hubei (1 98365438+February1)

Sichuan Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County (1984165438+10/0)

Sichuan Qianjiang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (1984165438+10/3)

Yunnan Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County (1985)

Yunnan Jinping Miao, Yao and Dai Autonomous County (1985)

Two Miao women are making colored leather paper. The white paper making technology of Shiqiaopu in Danzhai County, Guizhou Province has a history of 1000 years. 1000 for more than a year, the local Miao people used the paper-making technology of the Han nationality for reference, and made white paper from the local rich bark and Chinese fir roots. Paper-making technology is basically similar to the paper-making method recorded in Tiangong in Ming Dynasty and Song Dynasty, which keeps the tradition of producing white paper in ancient China.

Daily Eating Habits In most areas, Miao people have three meals a day, and rice is the staple food. First dry the rice (or dry it on the kang), pour it into a wok to remove the rice bran, and then eat it now, weighing 3-5 kg each time. Now many places have used electricity and water to grind rice. When the Miao people cook, they often add 6-7 times of cooking, then take out the rice soup when it is half cooked and steam it in a wooden steamer. There are also boiled and steamed corn, wheat and millet mixed together. Bags and buckwheat are pushed into flour or granules with a stone mill for eating. Mix flour with water, pour it into water and steam it as a staple food. Miao people at the junction of Guangxi and Yunnan and Guizhou call it "flour rice". Miao people in Sichuan Province eat noodles and other staple foods made of wheat, buckwheat or corn flour. Miao people in some areas of Guizhou have steamed oats, roasted with slow fire in the original pot, then ground into powder and fried as their daily staple food. Miao people attach importance to glutinous rice and regard it as a symbol of good harvest and good luck. When eating glutinous rice, sometimes it is steamed first, poured into a wooden trough while it is hot, mashed with a hammer, then torn into small balls by hand, flattened with wooden boards, soaked in mountain spring water after being completely cooled, and replaced at any time. It can be stored for 4-5 months and can be burned, roasted or fried when eaten. Fried Baba is the most common fried food. Deep-fried Baba is made by soaking glutinous rice and a small amount of soybeans, beating them into slurry, then scooping the beaten thick slurry into a mold made of iron sheet and frying them in boiling oil to get golden yellow. If you add some fresh meat and sauerkraut as stuffing, the taste will be more delicious.

There are many kinds of Miao vegetables. Common vegetables are beans, melons, vegetables and radishes. Most meat comes from livestock and poultry. Miao people in Sichuan and Yunnan like to eat dog meat, and there is a saying that "Miao's dog is Yi's wine". Dog meat is hot, which has the functions of warming stomach, strengthening stomach and nourishing food. In addition to animal oil, Miao people's edible oils are mostly tea oil and vegetable oil. Pepper is the main condiment, and in some areas there is even a saying that it is inseparable from pepper. Most Miao people are good at making bean products, such as using soybean milk without filtering residue and cooking it into "soup with residue"; Boiling soybean milk with tender cabbage, and then ordering gypsum water to make "vegetable tofu" is the daily dish of the next meal. Miao people who live in the alpine mountain areas still like to cook vegetables into mussels with white water and dip them in various kinds of "dips" to eat. Sichuan Miao people also make soybean milk into tofu pudding to entertain guests. Miao people everywhere generally like to eat sauerkraut, and sour soup is a must for every family. Sour soup is made of rice soup or tofu water, fermented in a crock for 3-5 days, and then used in cook the meat to cook fish and vegetables. Add some fish, parsley and ginger in dog days to stimulate appetite and help digestion. In summer in southeastern Guizhou, when guests enter the door, the host always sends sour soup first, and then drinks it to quench their thirst. Miao people in Guangxi like to make hot and sour soup with Chili bones in winter and spring. The food preservation of Miao people generally adopts pickling method, and vegetables, chickens, ducks and fish like to be pickled into sour taste. Hunan Miao people call this method of pickling food "Fu". Almost every Miao family has a jar for curing food, which is collectively called a sour jar. Before curing pork, cut fresh meat into large pieces, and then laminate a layer of meat and a layer of salt. Three days later, the raw salt is dissolved and immersed in the meat, then some glutinous rice is cooked and mixed with sweet and rotten wine, and rubbed with the meat. Finally, add some ingredients such as Chili powder, seal the jar mouth and serve. Meat cured in this way can generally be preserved for 1-2 years. Sour jars can also pickle sour fish and sauerkraut. In addition, the Miao people also cured all kinds of livestock and poultry meat with smoked bacon. Miao people in southern Sichuan often kill Nian pigs in winter. Pork is soaked in salt, hung on the stove and smoked with poplar branches or other firewood. Smoke it dry and then take it down for storage. This smoked wax has a unique flavor and is often used to entertain guests. It can be stored for 2-3 years without deterioration.

Miao nationality has a long history of brewing, and has a set of techniques from koji-making, fermentation, distillation, wine blending and cellar storage. Sucking wine is unique. When drinking, the bamboo tube is inserted into the urn, and the drinker forms a circle along the urn. The elders drink first, and then go from left to right. After the wine juice is sucked, it can be washed into drinking water until it is tasteless. Once the altar is opened, the remaining wine, whether strong or weak, will not be used again. Every family still makes glutinous rice liqueur on holidays. Camellia oleifera is the most common daily drink. When making, stir-fry the oil, salt, ginger and tea together, add water to boil after the oil smokes, then filter the residue, then pour the tea into a bowl filled with corn, peanuts, rice fragrance or glutinous rice, and add some chopped green onion, garlic leaves, pepper and mountain pepper appropriately, and you can drink it. Xiangxi Miao people also specially made a kind of scented tea (also called ginkgo tea). Besides tea, sour soup is also a common drink.

Miao compatriots held a lantern festival in Miaojia Fire Dragon. The dragon dance in Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province has a history of hundreds of years.

Festivals, Etiquettes and Sacrifices Miao people used to believe in animism, worship nature and worship their ancestors. There are many festivals, besides traditional festivals and sacrificial festivals, there are also special festivals related to eating. Such as: duck festival, new year festival, fish killing festival, tea picking festival, etc. Besides preparing wine and meat, seasonal food is also essential for festivals. For example, during the Duck Festival, every household has to kill ducks and cook them with rice to make porridge. When eating New Year's Festival, you should cook with new rice, make wine with new rice, and even pick vegetables and fish and leave the pond. In the festival of killing fish, women usually wait by the river with food, bacon, sausages and other tables. As long as they catch fish, they light a bonfire and cook fish in a pot until they enjoy themselves. Miao year is the biggest traditional festival. The year of Miao usually begins on the first day of the first month and lasts for three, five or fifteen days. Years ago, every household should prepare rich new year's goods, besides killing pigs and sheep (cattle), they should also prepare enough glutinous rice wine. New Year's Eve dinner is rich, paying attention to "all seven colors" and "all five flavors", and making "rice cakes" with the best glutinous rice. Banquet and exchange gifts. The biggest ritual activity of Miao people is "eating dirty meat", also known as "Drum Festival". Generally, a small sacrifice lasts for seven years and a big sacrifice lasts for thirteen years. It is held on the second day of October to November in the lunar calendar. At that time, a roe deer will be killed and a Lusheng dance will be performed to commemorate the ancestors. Invite friends and relatives to get together during meals to enhance feelings and family harmony. Glutinous rice is an indispensable food for Miao festivals and social activities, and it is also an indispensable food for young men and women in the process of marriage and love. Miao people in Chengbu, Hunan Province gave each other glutinous rice cakes painted with mandarin ducks as souvenirs. When holding a wedding, the host will also invite the bride and groom to eat glutinous rice cakes with dragon and phoenix and doll patterns; Miao people in many areas often make glutinous rice noodles into jiaozi, which is also a kind of food during festivals. No matter the wedding or funeral, tables, sour meat and sour fish must be prepared, otherwise it will be considered impolite. When welcoming distinguished guests, Miao people are used to inviting guests to drink croissants first. At the wedding, the bride and groom will drink a toast. Miao festival

Typical foods mainly include: blood soup, Chili bone, Miaoxiang Guifeng soup, cotton cake, insect tea, scented tea, catfish, fish paste (also eating sour soup fish) and so on.