It’s fair to say that Miao silversmiths are some of the world’s most ingenious artists. The silver necklaces they design are often gorgeous, unique, and rarely found anywhere else. But where do they get their inspiration? Part of the answer lies in something that is also unique to their culture – their totems. Who Are the Miao?An ethnic minority living in southern China, Miao history dates back over 5,000 years to when China was still inhabited by numerous tribes and clans. Throughout history, the Miao have been making silver jewelry, speaking their own language, and revering totems that are uniquely Miao. Silver Necklace Designs Inspired By Miao TotemsNurtured in a culture that survived thousands of years, totems offer Miao craftsmen a limitless source for designing their most loved silver necklaces. The most popular totem is probably the maple tree. Maple trees are the symbol of Miao, and as a Miao legend goes, it is the start of everything. Actually, the word “Miao” means the stem of a maple tree. To this day, the Miao grow maple trees in their courtyard to seek protection and prosperity. And when they built houses, the central beam that supports the center of the roof must be a log from a maple tree. If you ask any Miao girl, she will tell you that the Miao word for butterfly actually means ‘mother.’ That’s because they believe a butterfly is the mother of their people. And each year, there is a special ritual in Miao villages to offer sacrifices to this divine mother. Miao girls wear a special silver hat with a pair of big horns on it. This is a remembrance to another great ancestor of the Miao - Chi You. Open a Chinese history textbook, and on the very first page, you will find the legend of Chi You, who had four eyes, six arms, and a pair of horns on the top of his head. In Miao legends, Chi You is a great warrior, a leader of all Miao tribes. So today, one of the most prominent Miao silver jewels is the hat they wear with a pair of big horns attached. Now you know that the silver necklaces the Miao wear are more than an attention grabber, they are cultural symbols.Where Did The Silver Come From?The shiny, white silver used to craft silver necklaces is used in almost every aspect of life: household activities, rituals, festivals, dances, weddings, and other celebrations. Apparently, there is a great demand for silver in ancient times. But where did all the silver come from? Wholesale Cell Phone Styluses In ancient China, silver mines were owned by the government. Anyone who stole the precious resource would be executed. For the Miao people whose life couldn’t go without silver, the only source left was the sycee, a type of money that was basically a silver nugget. So saving up piles of sycee to make silver earrings and other jewelry became the top priority for Miao families. Lots of sycee would be needed, so family members worked very hard to make money. Wholesale RC Toys Accessories When the family had enough sycee, they would melt the nuggets into solid silver bars. They might make a silver necklace to offer to the gods, some silver bowls to use in festivals, or elaborate and charming Iphone 4s Cases silver earrings for their daughter’s wedding. The more silver jewelry a daughter wears in her wedding, the wealthier she will appear, and the better the family will look. Today, the Miao people no longer melt sycee for the silver necklaces. The Chinese government has made efforts to ensure a steady supply of silver metal at a much lower price to the Miao.
没有评论:
发表评论