Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

Qianhu means a thousand households, and Xijiang has more, timber houses on stilts stepping up two facing slopes above a river in such density that from the viewpoint opposite they read as a single stacked structure. It is the largest Miao settlement in China and the centre of Miao culture in the southeast Guizhou hills, known for silver headdresses and jewellery worn at festivals, embroidery, batik and lusheng pipe music. It is also thoroughly commercialised now, with much of the ground floor given to guesthouses, bars and shops, and scheduled performances daily; the upper lanes remain more residential.

What you actually see

• The stacked village - over a thousand timber houses on two hillsides.
• The night lights - the slopes lit after dark from the viewpoint.
• The silver and embroidery - Miao craft worn and sold in the village.
• The upper lanes - quieter residential streets above the commercial core.

When to go

April to June and September to November for mild weather; Miao festivals fall on the lunar calendar, with the Sisters' Meal festival in spring the largest. Holidays fill the village completely.

Honest expectations

Commercialisation is heavy, with the main streets given to shops and bars. Entry is charged and shuttle carts cost extra. Performances are staged rather than spontaneous.

Nearby

Kaili lies northwest; Zhaoxing is southeast.