Stilted buildings and black tile-roofed houses are the main forms of the Miao dwellings. Affected by the terrain and geomorphology, some dwellings are supported by wooden pillars to raise the bottom of the frame to prevent dampness. Because some dwellings are located in the steep mountains, the front part of the pillars are picked out to form corridor-type stilted buildings, so as to increase the practical space. Covered with green tiles, the black tile-roofed house is another style of the Miao dwellings, with wooden boards mounted on the wall. The board walls are repeatedly coated with tung oil, which turn black and shiny after exposing to the weather. The house is dry, comfortable, moisture-proof and shockproof. The house usually faces north, which is ventilated with good lighting.
The structure of the Miao dwellings features certain specifications. Generally speaking, residents enter the gate from the “tunkou” (a wooden carving hung on a lintel to ward off evil spirits), with the main room in the middle and the junior’s room or guest room at the back. The fireplace is on the left, with the elder’s room behind it. The kitchen is on the right, with the granary behind it. The above arrangement differs according to the family name. In the long process of historical development, the Miao people have different requirements for architecture in terms of different regions and surnames, such as building materials, building styles, interior decorations and the placement of ancestors’ memorial tablets, thus forming the richness and variability of the Miao architecture.
Black tile-roofed house
Black tile-roofed houses are mostly wooden houses covered with small green tiles. The board walls are made of wood and coated with tung oil. The front yard is paved with green slabs. The fernleaf hedge bamboo and Chinese sweet gum are planted around the house.
Stilted building
The stilted building is one of the characteristic Miao dwellings in Xiangxi. If a stilted building is built on a slope, it is necessary to use wooden poles to raise the bottom according to the terrain. A two-storey building is constructed on the basis of crossbeams and wooden boards. Stilted buildings built on the ground are mostly configured on one side or both sides of the main house. There are corridors on two, three or even four sides of the Miao stilted buildings with angled cornices. The patterns symbolizing good luck and goodwill are carved on the hanging wooden railings. The windows upstairs are opened towards the sun, with window carvings in various shapes like the phoenix, magpie and lion. Patterns such as embroidered balls and golden melons are often carved on the bottom of the hanging column. The lower floor of stilted building is mostly used for storing food or placing furniture and farm tools. While on the upper floor there is the master bedroom or guest rooms. The corridor outside the building is a place for women to embroider, pick yarns, make ribbons and dry clothes.
Home-guarding building
The home-guarding building is a fortification built by the Miao villages and families to prevent foreign invasion, which was more common in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. There are two kinds of fortifications. One is to protect the safety of the whole village, called the “village-guarding building”. The other is built by the wealthy families alone, called the “home-guarding building”.
The village-guarding building is constructed by the whole village, generally built at the high place at the end of the village. Built with green stone blocks, the walls are usually two to three storeys high, covered with tiles at the top. Each storey is paved with floorboards. Ladders are set up for villagers to go up and down. Hepai Village in Liubo Township of Fenghuang County is situated at a remote location. It was often robbed by bandits before the founding of the Republic of China. In the late Qing Dynasty, Long Ziwang organized the villagers to raise funds to construct the village-guarding building, and the two existing ones are well preserved. The one at the top of the village was built in the house, with the archway opening towards the house. It was safe to go upstairs and downstairs. The building is square and similar in shape to the ancient military towers. It is about 20 meters high and made of green stone with fine drills, covering an area of around 10 square meters. The walls are one meter thick. The ground floor of the building provided accommodation for garrison personnel. Guns and ammunition were stored on the second floor. There were four gun holes on the third floor for villagers to watch day and night. These two buildings were constructed in the appropriate location with broad vision. The village is surrounded by a stone wall about 2 meters high, leaving a gate to enter and exit. When the bandits entered the village to rob, the villagers could take advantage of the village-guarding building to block the main traffic routes with guns and repel the bandits. According to the local elders, the village-guarding building successfully helped villagers to fight off several attacks and effectively defended Hepai Village.
Wind and rain bridge
The wind and rain bridge is not only used for transportation, but also loaded with religious meaning. It symbolizes the flying dragon around the village to ensure good weather and good harvests. There are two types. One is the wind and rain bridge with stone piers and cross wood and the other is the wind and rain bridge with stone arch.
The wind and rain bridge with stone piers and cross wood is made by stone piers, between which giant wooden beams are stacked. Wooden boards are laid on the beams, with columns set up to build a corridor. The corridor is divided into single eaves or double eaves, covered with small green tiles. There are one to three pavilions constructed in arch structure, with four corners to form the spire. The main beam is painted with the eight diagrams, the main repairers’ names and the time of building the bridge. Railings and square stools are set under the columns for pedestrians to rest and enjoy the cool. At the head of the bridge, a stone tablet is erected and engraved with the construction matters of the bridge and the names of the donors.
The wind and rain bridge with stone arch is constructed with a stone base to build the arch, with pavilions standing on the arch. The wooden structure of the pavilion is the same as the wind and rain bridge with stone piers and cross wood.
The Miao pavilion can be divided into the corridor-type pavilion and the spire-type pavilion.
The corridor-type pavilion is mostly built in the middle of the road at the mountain pass or by the roadside in front of the village. It is generally made up by three rows of two rooms or four rows of three rooms, with each row boasting two or four columns on the ground. There is overhanging and double-sloped small green tile roof. The main beam is painted with the eight diagrams, the main repairers’ names and the time of building the pavilion. The pavilion is usually screened by nothing all around. However, there are some built with stone walls on the four sides and others built with Ma Tau Walls at both ends, leaving the arch for access. Wooden stools and stone benches are set on the other two sides of the pavilion for pedestrians to rest and shelter from the wind and rain. The stone monument is erected in the pavilion and inscribed with the construction matters of the pavilion and the names of the donors. The pavilion is surrounded by ancient trees and beautiful scenery, making passers-by feel comfortable. Leshan Pavilion in Xinqiao Village, Heshui Town of Luxi County was built in 1836 and rebuilt in 1906. It is now being maintained with the structure of brick and wood, which is delicate and antique.
The spire-type pavilion is generally built in densely populated places. There is four-angle spire, hexagonal spire and octagonal spire. The pavilion is equipped with long wooden stools, which is a good place not only for the old people to enjoy the cool and talk about their daily life, but also for teenagers to sing and confess their feelings.
The streams and rivers crisscross the areas inhabited by the Miao people. People have to cross them for work every day. When the river is narrow, the Miao people set up stone bridges to cross the river. But when the riverbed is too wide to build a bridge, the Miao people will erect thick stones in the stream, which is often called “jumping rock”. The construction of jumping rock is a public service, which is self-organized. As long as the villagers shout to start the work, each family will shoulder tools to participate in the construction. According to a certain line, grooves with the same distance will be chiseled in the rocks in the water, and then stones will be vertically inserted into the grooves. In this way, the jumping rock not only presents aesthetics order, but also reduces the flooding force. Pedestrians can walk back and forth steadily. It shows the unique charm of the areas inhabited by the Miao people.
