Guizhou Province

Guizhou province is one of the most popular places where travelers can explore the rich and distinctive folk customs and cultures of the ethnic groups in China.

Located in southwest China, bordering Sichuan to the north, Yunnan to the west, Guangxi to the south and Hunan to the east, It is the home to 48 ethnic groups in China. Most of them have been living on this land for thousands of years. 

Landscape and Climate

The typical Karst landforms in most areas of Guizhou province hide an abundance of amazing and unique natural scenery for travelers to capture and take photos, such as Huangguoshu Waterfall, Dragon Palace Cave and Danxia Landform. etc. Some of them have been listed as World Cultural or Natural Heritages by UNESCO.

Guizhou is also a great place for travelers to escape from the hot weather in summer. It has a subtropical humid monsoon climate, which is frequently cloudy and rainy. There are few seasonal changes here with the result that it is neither too cold in the winter nor too hot in the summer. As a whole, people here enjoy a pleasant climate. Its capital city, Guiyang, is considered a ‘world’s summer resort’ because of the moderate temperature.

Due to these rugged landscapes, the development level in Guizhou province is lower than many other provinces in Eastern China, especially in the rural areas, many local people still keep their traditional life styles. However, the transportation in many major cities, such as Guiyang, Zunyi, Liupanshui, Anshun, Kaili and Tongren are very convenient.

Ethnic Groups

Renowned as one of the most popular places to explore the ethnic cultures in China, Guizhou province is the home to 48 China’s ethnic groups, second only to Yunnan Province.

Every group has lived here for centuries and developed their own unique cultures and life styles. When traveling there, visitors should not miss the chance to experience their simple and original living habits, appreciate the unique architectural styles and try their exotic and colorful costumes, etc.

Travelers can choose to visit Langdeshang Miao Village or Xijiangqianhu Miao Village to admire their stilt-houses and colorful traditional clothes; go to China’s last gunmen’s tribe, Basha Miao Village, to experience their unique life styles; explore how this stone village was made without any other construction materials in Buyi Stone Village; or go to Dong villages to see Dong-style drum towers and wind-rain bridges, etc.

What’s more, over 1,000 festivals are celebrated by ethnic groups each year in Guizhou, providing the best opportunities for visitors to experience these ethnic traditions. The most famous festivals include Sanyuesan Festival and Sister’s Meal Festival in the spring, Liuyueliu Festival in summer, and the Shui New Year Festival in autumn.

Delicacies and Specialties

Food there mainly consists of Qian cuisine and local snacks. Hot, spicy and sour are the three most featured flavors of Qian cuisine. The most famous dishes include Suan Tang Yu (Sour Soup Fish) and griddle cooked dishes.

Well-known snacks include Chang Wang Noodle, Lian’ai Doufu Guo and Si Wa Wa. AnotherGuizhou specialty is Maotai Liquor, which is considered the national liquor of China national liquor and one of the world’s three best distilled liquors along with whisky from the United Kingdom and French brandy. Rice wine made by local farmers is also a famous specialty. The area is also famous for its batik fabrics, silver decorations of the ethnic groups, bacon and Chinese medicine.