One hour later, I see the first lamp of village. I am almost run to the village! Fortunately, here is Xijiang, the destination village of trek.
As soon as I arrive at the family that book the accommodation, I get a comfortable bed for sleep. I have a dog-tire!
In the morning, I just get up before sun. The sky reflects sunshine and makes the village bright. But the breakfast smoke is also fill the street and lane. The buffalo pillar stand in dancing ground like a sword point to sky. Some people are tiding it for dry crops by sunshine. Walk out the village and stand on the bridge before the village, the village appears in my eyes. It stuns me that on the two big slopes are covered by the wood houses. The houses stand by each other tightly along the slopes, like the trees in the forest. The cobble-paved paths go through the village and connect every house. The sun sends its light to the village over the mountain. The wood houses on higher place are dyed to brow and gold. The lower became black. There are two complete different worlds. As the sun is higher and higher, all things are bright and clear. And I climb mountain and take picture whole day.
When the dark is coming, I come back the family. And the supper is already prepared. What a rich dinner! Many local dishes are display on the table. Friends and I sit down with the families. Housewife gives everyone a cup and begins to fill rice wine. As soon as the wine is ready, the woman sings a folk song both mandarin and Miao dialect. The meaning of the song is to invite us to drink wine. It's a local custom normally we can not refuse. Of course, I believe that nobody will refuse in that atmosphere. After the other member of the family toast us one by one but only women and kids singing. We also sing the pop songs and ask them drink. Out of my expectation, women in the village can drink a lot and their songs are also too many so that we have no song to sing only drinking. With more and more alcohol enter my vessel, I am melt and forget the tiredness of trip, even forget where I am.
Tips: The biggest Miao village in China, a 1000-households village, in Leishan county, 75km from Kaili. Famous for its New Rice Tasting Festival and Miao New Year celebration! Also famous for its Silversmith craftsmanship and Harvest Celebration! The local silversmiths have unique craftsmanship for silver ornament making. All the silver ornaments that a Miao girl puts on weight about 9 kg. Harvest celebration is a kind of activity in memory of villagers' ancestors and in celebrating their autumn harvest. The most important thing for the celebration is to hold a memorial ceremony for their ancestry and the happiest thing is to play the Lusheng-pipe and dance.
In the village, there is only one guesthouse but there are many families can offer the accommodation for the tourists. In winter, here is very cold so I don't recommend stay in the village in the night or you take something keep warm in the night.
