Ouxi Village

Ouxi Village, a large traditional village, is located in Xixi Town, Luxi County. The whole village is built on a gentle slope with natural resources. The Ouxi Stream winds through the village like a graceful snake. The large-scale buildings of the Republic of China were all built of wood, preserving the authentic historical setting. The picturesque terraces are accompanied by villages, comprehensively recording the wisdom crystallization of ancestors in creating life in the mountain environment and displaying artistic value of unique village form and architectural culture. The stilted buildings in the whole village are concentrated in one area, with well-preserved style and features. The materials of the stilted building are all made of fir and pine. According to the traditional custom, the main entrance of the main hall is usually engraved with Chinese characters, which means “fortune, prosperity, longevity and happiness”. The roofs are all covered with small green tiles, and the eaves are carved with dragons and phoenixes. Ouxi Village boasts the cultural characteristics of a typical agrarian society. Because most of its settlements are in mountainous areas, the land is precious and the Miao people live a “slash-and-burn cultivation” farming life. The Miao people still regard the land as a treasure. Their buildings are often centered on the farmland on the flat land, and the base site is selected at the foot of the mountain. The architectural layout inside the village still reflects the typical characteristics of agrarian culture. The Ouxi Stream winds through the village in the shape of a snake, and the overall shape of the village is very similar to the cattle harrow used for ploughing, so it is called “Ouxi Village”. The ancient roads of Ouxi Village are paved with stone slabs made by local residents in ancient times. Due to the large elevation difference of the village, the internal roads are undulating with unique charm. The Tiaoxiang Festival is a unique grand festival in Ouxi Village and nearby villages, also known as the October Mingxiang Festival. It is generally held in early October and lasts for 10-15 days. It is an ancient sacrificial festival for the Miao ethnic group to wish for good weather, thriving domestic animals and bumper harvests. The Tiaoxiang Festival is actually a sacrificial ceremony, but it is attended by all villagers in one village or more than ten villages. The ceremony is held in the host village, and each village does the “Tiaoxiang” one day in turn. Finally, the festival concludes with a large-scale dance performed in the host village, where a Miao Laosi wears a red robe and a five-Buddha crown, holds a special ox horn knife to lead the dance, and other people follow the dance with incense. Meanwhile, they sing songs, go to the incense hall and different villages, grow grains, and beat gongs and sound drums, forming a magnificent scene.