Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Guizhou - Maddox's Birthplace

Guizhou, one of China's poorest and least populated provinces. The entire province is a series of plateaus, with almost no level land. High rainfall renders the terraced hillsides a luxurious green. Rivers and streams cut through fields. The water trickles down through limestone to create vast cave networks, as well as underground lakes and rivers.
Guizhou's remoteness has allowed many of China's 56 ethnic minorities to flourish here. Together, they celebrate over 1,000 festivals a year. Depending on their tribe, women will sport headdresses of finely tooled silver, bone or embroidered cloth dangling with silver charms.

Together, they celebrate over 1,000 festivals each year. Festivals are a time to practice traditions thousands of years old - from bullfights to horse races, from flute playing to singing, from operas to down-home singing, from batik dyeing to elaborate mass gatherings where young people come to find a husband or wife.

1 comment:

Gift of Grace said...

That is neat Beth. I would love to have seen some of the more rural areas in China. We were in huge cities the whole time. Hmmm maybe we should go back. :)