Paradise Lost: Dive into the world's largest Miao village (2)

With a population of more than seven million, the Miao people form one of the largest ethnic minorities in southwest China. (People's Daily Online/Kou Jie)

Set in a natural basin, the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is dubbed "thousand-household village," and has a history of over 2,000 years. Over 99 percent of the local population are from the Miao ethnic group, while the village, which consists of ten Miao hamlets, is home to 1,432 households and 6,000 residents.

Due to its geographical remoteness, the village was a poverty-stricken backwater before 2008. According to statistics, the local average income was 1,431 yuan in 2005, which was less than half of China's average income back then. Starting from 2008, local authorities and business leaders decided to transform the village into a tourism site that featured unique Miao culture. It has since become an "open air museum" showcasing Miao's traditional art and culture, including local festivals, singing and dancing, silver work, architecture and food.

Currently, over 90 percent of the Miao residents work in local restaurants, hotels and cultural institutions. The local authority has also established a foundation to support the revival of local Miao culture, allocating 18 percent of the village's entrance fee revenues to Miao residents, a number that reached 32 million yuan in 2019. The village's success in eliminating poverty has been hailed as the "Xijiang model", providing valuable experience to the world.