Exquisite Chinese Miao silver jewelry art is second to none in the world
Who are the Miao?
Do you think it’s possible to wear 30 pounds of pure silver jewelry from head to foot? Well, the Miao are a a people who love to show off their silver ornaments that would be striking to any foreign visitor! Living in the mountainous areas of south and southwestern China, the Miao ethnic group love silver and regard silver as a symbol of light of hope. There are so many different kinds of Miao silver ornaments, here are just a few:
Silver headdresses
Miao silver headdresses are quite a sight and are worn only on very special occasions, like weddings or important holidays. They are made up of three individual parts: the horns, the hat, and the hood.
Silver horns: The silver horns are the most important part of a Miao silver headdress, and they are crafted to mimic the horns of an ox. From one horn to another, the headpiece can span almost three feet and will usually reach about the same height. So they are nearly half the height of the wearer!
The designs of the horn are very elaborate. They usually feature a pattern of two dragons playing with a ball. Women put some silver flowers, butterflies, or a pair of white feathers onto the horn to make it higher and more attractive.
Silver hat: A silver hat is the base of the headdress and can be a foot tall. It’s completely covered with silver flowers, birds, animals, bells, and
tassels. Twelve pieces of silver feathers hang behind the hat, and reach directly to their waist.
Silver hood: The silver hood hangs down from the hat and covers parts of the face and neck. In some Miao areas, the silver hood has five ornaments placed on it, with the biggest one in the middle dropping from the forehead and the others hanging around ears.
A silver hood features three layers in other areas. The highest layer has 29 beautiful, round silver flowers. The middle layer has a round glass in the middle, and 14 warriors riding horses at each side. The lowest layer features fringes.
Silver hairpins
Miao silver hairpins always feature flowers, birds, and butterflies. The most impressive designs feature about 10 silver flowers placed like a Chinese fan. In the flowers are some beautiful, glistening beads, and around the center are five silver phoenixes.
Some hairpins are just like chopsticks with silver bells or tassels adorned on them.
Silver combs
Miao women use a silver comb to decorate their hair. The wooden comb has a layer of silver slices covered on its surface. On the surface of a comb are designs of birds, flowers, or the image of a Bodhisattva. There are some combs which feature big and long silver chains dropping down.
Silver earrings
Handmade Miao silver earrings are often shaped like flowers, birds, butterflies, dragons, or plants. Miao women often wear 3 or 4 silver earrings at the same time. A single silver earring can weigh 200 grams, and reach all the way down to their shoulders. But many small earrings have threads which are as thin as a piece of paper.
Silver neckbands
Wide silver neckbands are similar to necklaces in the West, but they are rigid and have many pendants hanging down from them. In different Miao areas, the neckbands vary a lot.On a dragon silver neckband you can see the image of two dragons playing with a ball, and 11 various ornaments hanging from it. Another kind of neckband has 14 silver rings linked tightly together, while silver birds or butterflies hang down from each ring.
Silver bracelets
The Miao silver bracelets are engraved with the images of flowers, fish, or dragons. Some bracelets have wide, heavy bands that look like the cuffs worn by ancient warriors. Miao women usually wear 4 or 5 pairs of silver bracelets on any given day, sometimes more during festivals or holidays.
Silver rings
A Miao silver ring is usually quite small and has fine pieces of silver bent and shaped into flowers, birds, or plants. Some Miao women have rings on their eight fingers, only with their thumbs free. Some rings are big enough to cover half the length of their fingers.
Silver garments
Tiny silver slices or threads are commonly woven into the fabric of Miao clothing. There are usually 44 main silver pieces that can be used, all of which are square or round shapes.When put on a silver garment, the clothing sparkles beautifully with the Miao walking or dancing.
Beautiful patterns like butterflies, flowers, phoenix, and lions are engraved on each piece.
Also, sometimes as many as 60 silver bells can hang from the garments, which make beautiful sounds and add to the overall look.
Silver waistbands
A silver waistband features hundreds of silver images of Bodhisattvas sewn on a piece of cloth. The images sparkle beautifully when the Miao dance with the waistband around their waist.
Silver anklets
Last but not least are small but sturdy silver anklets that clasp above the foot. Miao children wear silver anklets to ward off evil spirits.
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