Miao people

A nighttime carnival featuring Miao cuisine, song, dance and traditional clothing at the Chiyou Jiuli Town scenic spot in Chongqing's Pengshui Miao and Tujia autonomous county is attracting visitors from across the country. Running from late last month to late this month, it features Miao electric music festivals, costume shows, night markets, parades, water-splashing festivals and bonfire parties. The Miao ethnic group can be traced back to a group living in the eastern plains of China over 7,000 years ago. The group mostly settled in southwestern China, primarily in today's Guizhou, Hunan and Yunnan provinces, from the time of the Tang and Song (618-1279) dynasties. More than 11 million Miao people are now scattered across nine provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in southern China, with Guizhou as their main base. Their religious beliefs mainly revolve around nature and ancestor worship. Miao communities can also be found in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, the United States, France, Argentina and Australia. Chiyou Jiuli Town's striking architecture, covering more than 28 hectares and with a total construction area of 110,000 square meters, comprises more than 40 buildings built on a hill. It is China's largest stilt building complex. "I was immediately captivated by the…