The earliest use of silver jewelry in Chinese history can be traced back to the Warring States Period (770 BC - 221 BC), while Miao silver jewelry was used later. The first record of Miao silver jewelry appeared in the Qian Ji by Guo Zizzhang in the Ming Dynasty. Since the Qing Dynasty, silver jewelry has become popular among all ethnic groups and gradually formed the custom of wearing silver jewelry among Chinese minorities.
As one of the ancient Chinese ethnic groups, Miao people express their understanding of the origin of life, farming life and totem worship through silver jewelry. We can often see cattle, butterflies, water and other elements in Miao silver ornaments, which is the Miao people's aesthetic philosophy of animal worship consciousness, as well as their love and affirmation of real life.
With the development of society, most people no longer wear a lot of silver jewelry in daily life. But silver jewelry is still essential for important life occasions such as festivals or weddings. Some families began to make silver jewelry for their daughters when they were young, collecting a little a year and storing it in special wooden boxes. When the daughter grows into her teens, the girl will dress up and show her compatriots on grand festivals and happy days when she gets married.
The processing of Miao silver jewelry is a unique forging skill among the Miao people. Since ancient times, it has been done by hand by male silversmiths in family workshops. In terms of technology, Miao silver jewelry forging techniques mainly include chisel and plaiting. According to the chisel or plait process needs, the silversmith first melted silver into thin slice, silver or silver wire, a piece of silver jewelry needs more than 10, more than 30 procedures to complete, including casting, punching, chisel welding, plait, washing and other links. Chisel technology of silver jewelry, silver material is mostly molded with solid block or surface material, showing a thick shape, chisel in the silver piece exquisite decoration.
Miao silver jewelry has rich and colorful cultural connotation, and has high cultural taste in variety, pattern design, pattern construction, production and assembly. In foreign exchanges, Miao people give silver jewelry as gifts to their friends, which is as precious as Hada of the Tibetan nationality and Han Nationality jewelry.
