These dancers are members of the Miao ethnic minority, one of 55 minority peoples that live in China. A very large percentage of the minorities live in Guizhou Province and neighboring Yunnan Province. As they were escorting us out of the village after the performance, a little girl, maybe 3 years old, also in the colorful traditional dress, went up the steps with us, telling us zaijian (goodbye) about every two steps.

This is the entryway into Qingyan, a town in the Huaxi District of Guiyan City. Qingyan was founded in 1378, early in the Ming Dynasty. Although the left, brick wall is more modern, the right wall is built the old way, with stacked blue stone. The ceiling beams are logs, visible above the sunlit doorway at the other end. The paving stones have been worn smooth by the passage of many feet.

This huge rock looked like a good foundation for a house. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite big enough. So, the industrious owner filled in the gaps with blue stone, and built his house on the resulting sturdy perch.

As we sat in the courtyard of a restaurant in the ancient city, eating gourd soup, scrambled egg and tomato, and twice fried pork, and sipping tea, I noticed this happy sunflower. Rachel, this picture is for you.

This doorway and graceful willow tree are also in the courtyard where we ate lunch. China is full of intriguing open doors.

This house once belonged to Zhou Enlai's father-in-law. There were other homes of famous people in the city, but their names were familiar to our Chinese friends, but not to us. This, at least was a name we recognized. I like the homey touch of the corn hanging from the rafters.

Outside the house in the previous picture, the road is narrow and enclosed in walls of blue stone. These walls appear to be built in the same manner as stone walls in New England, in America, being pieced together without the use of mortar. Their durability attests to the skill of the builders.

This is one of two churches we saw in Qingyan. It is an interesting mixture of East and West. The steps, yard and roof are Chinese style, while the windows and plaster walls seem more Western.

Copyright 2004, Dr. Lee Williams

Last Modified: 15 July 2004

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