Residing in the mountainous areas of southwestern China, the Miao minority group respect and worship oxen. They think oxen is an auspicious animal which can bring them good luck. The image of oxen always appears in their handcrafted embroidery, batik, and silver jewels. In the 12-year animal cycles, the year of ox is regarded as the best year.

But in many other parts of China, people like a tiger year best. Why do the Miao favor oxen? Here is a story:

A long, long time ago an ox and a tiger were neighbors in a mountain. They both had great strength. One day they wanted to have a fight to see who was the strongest. So they prepared themselves for seven days before the fight. Everyday the tiger was busy with wrapping his boy with canes layer upon layer, while the oxen rolled around in mud, and then sunned to have the mud getting dry.

7 days later, they wore their special armor to start a battle. The tiger pounced on the ox, trying to bite it, but only gnawed off a little dust from the dried mud covering the ox’s body. The ox then used his sharp horns to easily break the canes on the body of the tiger, and almost broke the tiger’s belly. The tiger got so scared that he had to cry craven.

Since then, oxen was regarded as an hero in Miao culture. People think oxen can protect them, and give them peaceful life. They adorn their gates with a piece of horn-shaped wood, which can ward off evil spirits.

Beautiful images of oxen are used in the art of embroidery, silver jewels, and batik. Some Miao women wear a big silver headdress in the shape of an ox horn, which is regarded as the symbol of wealth; others have an ox horn shaped wooden comb adorned on their hair.

The Miao even apply the image of oxen to their music. In a famous bullfight dance, the dancers hold a bamboo ox head in their hands, and imitate the movements in bullfight.

The Miao even have a special holiday for oxen. On that day, oxen are fed with refined food, and bathed with clean water.

Dragon is also a lucky animal respected by the Miao. During the Dragon Boat Festival, people adorn their dragon boats with a pair of ox horn, as they think dragon together with oxen will bring more luck to their life.

When you visit a Miao village, the local people will wear their handmade ethnic costumes and silver jewels, and welcome you at the gate of their village with wine contained in a horn-shaped cup. The wine is made with glutinous rice. It is delicious, but quite strong. Don’t hold the cup by yourself, otherwise you will have to finish the whole cup of wine.

C. Liu has been writing about 925 silver jewelry, for years. Sometimes she promotes the work of select silversmiths. Click over to her website to see great examples of fine silver jewelry.

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