Colorful, That's Guizhou!
On the stone pillars of the memorial archway in front of Guiyang's iconic Jiaxiu Tower, eight descending lions are carved—a unique lion motif in Guizhou's ancient architecture. As Guizhou is a highland region, the lions are depicted in a posture of swooping down from above, serving as a vivid metaphor for the people and culture of Guizhou. Whether dominating the plateau or venturing beyond it, these descending lions are writing their own bold and remarkable chapter—
In China's vast southwest, where rugged mountains and abundant rivers converge, multiple ethnic groups coexist in a pattern of "broad intermingling with small concentrated settlements," making it a central hub of the nation's multicultural tapestry. Guizhou, in turn, stands as the heart and highland of this multicultural core.
Guizhou's culture is extraordinarily diverse yet harmoniously coexistent.
Top left: "The Red Ribbon" (Long March Art Digital Exhibition);
Bottom right: In 1508, when Wang Yangming was exiled to Guizhou,
he stayed at the Xinglong Guard post (present-day Huangping County)
and wrote "Record of Rebuilding Yuetan Temple and Constructing a Guesthouse."
No place is more fragmented than Guizhou.
Emerging from the mountains in 1413 as China's 13th provincial-level administrative unit, Guizhou only took shape as today's administrative map after acquiring Wusa Prefecture (Weining Prefecture) and Zunyi Prefecture from Sichuan during the Qing Yongzheng era, along with incorporating six garrisons (Zhenyuan, Pianqiao, Pingxi, Qinglang, Wukai, and Tonggu) and Tianzhu County from Huguang, as well as Libo County from Guangxi and the northern banks of the Nanpan and Red Rivers in the northwest—piecing together a land area of 176,200 square kilometers.
Huizhou-style architecture in Zhenyuan, drum towers of Dali Dong Village, stilted houses of Getou Miao Village.
Guizhou is also an architectural museum.
Nor is there any other place with people as "lively" as Guizhou's.
People from Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, Anhui, Hunan, Sichuan, Guangxi... all become Guizhou locals upon arrival!
Over millennia, migrations and settlements of the four major southern ethnic groups; the administrative pushes of successive central dynasties, driving wave after wave of mass migration into Guizhou; and revolutionaries and builders who, over the past century, ventured deep into China's southwest for the birth and strength of New China—all carried their own cultural DNA from rural China, fermenting a unique Guizhou flavor through long mountain-dwelling years and creating a cultural essence exclusive to this mountainous province—
Utterly diverse, yet harmoniously coexistent!
Guizhou, the hidden culinary paradise of the southwest,
where diverse dietary structures vividly reflect its colorful culture.
A mountain crosses a river; countless villages never feel lonely.
To truly experience Guizhou's beauty, the best way is to explore village by village. Take Qiandongnan as an example: 415 of its villages are listed in China's Traditional Village Catalog, the highest number in Guizhou. Each village has its own story, offering distinct surprises and reflections.
Panoramic view of Meide Dong Village in Congjiang County, Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou.
The mountains of Guizhou resemble a crumpled treasure map. When roads reach them and the folds unfold, the villages deep in these mountains become like treasure blind boxes, waiting to be opened one by one.
The Miao Mountains serve as the watershed between the Yangtze River and Pearl River systems in China. Leigong Mountain, the highest peak of the Miao Mountains, boasts rich biodiversity and is home to the Leigong Mountain National Forest Park. Getou Village in Leishan County lies at the heart of this park. The Miao name for Getou Village is "Gandiu," meaning "the households living under the branches of the Taiwania trees." With a history of over 400 years, the village is dominated by tree species such as Taiwania, Chinese fir, Masson pine, water oak, and sweetgum. Among them, Taiwania is the most iconic and pride-inducing tree for Getou Village. About 2-3 kilometers north of the village, there are extensive groves of Taiwania.
Getou Village is known as the "Hometown of Taiwania in China."
On the left side of the image is the "King of Taiwania," a tree over 1,000 years old in the village.
The Gaopai Lusheng Dance of Leishan County was inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2008, and Getou Village excels in this dance. Legend has it that when the Miao ancestors ventured into the towering mountains along the Duliu and Qingshui Rivers, they used the Lusheng (a reed-pipe wind instrument) to pave their way and gather people.
Even more peculiar is that Getou Village has its own unique festival—the "Dog Worship Festival" held on the Xu day of the second lunar month—which is also the liveliest celebration in the village. Long ago, it is said that the village's ancestors passed through this area, and their hunting dog got separated from them. When the ancestors found the dog, they realized it had discovered food. Continuing forward, they found a picturesque flatland nestled in the mountains and decided to settle there, establishing Getou. To honor the dog's "geographical discovery," the villagers have celebrated the "Dog Festival" every year since.
No Miao event is complete without the Lusheng Dance.
Meanwhile, Wudong Miao Village, nestled deep in the Leigong Mountains, exudes a different mountainous charm. Its defining feature is its high elevation—located at 1,306 meters above sea level in the heart of the Leigong Mountain National Nature Reserve, it is a renowned alpine village. Unlike most villages traversed by a single river, Wudong is crossed by three: the Wujiu River and Wudong Stream, both flowing from the deep valleys of Leigong Mountain, converge with the Wushanlue River within Wudong's territory at the southwestern edge of the main village, forming a waterfall outside the settlement. The village thrives thanks to its waterways and has a long history of rice cultivation. The villagers have also adapted their ancient brewing techniques to create Wudong Rice Wine, which is popular in modern tourism markets. The ancient village and contemporary life are just a step apart.
Left: The process of making Wudong Rice Wine; Right: A panoramic view of Wudong Miao Village.
Traveling southeast from the depths of Leigong Mountain into the Liping-Congjiang-Rongjiang (abbreviated as "Li-Cong-Rong") region—famous for its "Village Super League," "Village BA," and Dong Grand Songs—the atmosphere becomes even livelier. Though the villages here are home to both Miao and Dong communities, each has its own distinct character. Take Miao costumes, for example: in Kongshen Miao Village of Liangwang Township, Rongjiang County, the style is uniquely different. Unlike the long skirts and wide sleeves typical of Miao attire, this village is known as the "Hometown of the World's Shortest Skirts" because the skirts worn by Miao women here are exceptionally short.
Kongshen Miao Village in Liangwang Township, Rongjiang County.
Miao compatriots wearing "ultra-short skirts."
Zaidong Dong Village, meanwhile, is Rongjiang's "nest of songs." If you're fortunate enough to hear national intangible cultural heritage inheritor Hu Guanmei and her family perform the Dong Grand Songs with the entire village, you'll truly understand the ancient saying, "Silk is not as good as bamboo, bamboo is not as good as the human voice."
Children of Zaidong Dong Village singing Dong Grand Songs.
Some Dong villages follow unique local customs. For instance, in Zhanli Dong Village of Congjiang County, they pioneered population control by establishing village rules: couples with 50 dan (a unit of weight) of rice may raise two children, while those with 30 dan may only have one. Every year on the first day of the second and eighth lunar months, solemn fertility oath ceremonies are held. This traditional concept of balancing population, resources, and the environment has earned Zhanli the title of "China's First Village in Population and Fertility Culture."
Regarding population and fertility, Zhanli Dong Village in Congjiang County
has its own unique local regulations.
Guizhou is home to 18 indigenous ethnic groups: Han, Miao, Buyi, Dong, Tujia, Yi, Gelao, Sui, Hui, Bai, Yao, Zhuang, She, Maonan, Mulam, Manchu, Mongol, and Qiang. Over time, these ethnic groups have scattered like stars across the green-mirrored mountains.
The Buyi people's national intangible cultural heritage, the Bayin Seated Singing.
Among them, the Gelao people, the earliest pioneers of the Guizhou Plateau, are called the "landlords of Guizhou." The Buyi people have thrived for centuries in the Nanpan, Beipan, and Hongshui River basins and areas to their north. Today's scenic spots like Huangguoshu Waterfall, Anshun Dragon Palace, Maling River Gorge, and Zhenfeng Twin Peaks are all places where the Buyi people have lived for generations.
The Gelao Ethnic Mao Dragon Festival in Shiqian County, Tongren.
The vast area of the Wuling Mountains is the ancestral home of the Tujia people, including the well-known Fanjingshan Nature Reserve and Mayanghe Nature Reserve. Beyond traditional textile and indigo dyeing techniques, the Tujia’s papermaking craft stands out as a unique traditional skill...
Left: Yunshe Tujia papermaking. Photo/Yu Yongle
Right: Buyi Ethnic maple dyeing. Photo/Qin Gang
Guizhou’s ethnic distribution pattern was largely formed during the Yuan Dynasty. However, diversity does not imply isolation but rather mutual exchange and integration—a cultural landscape unique to Guizhou’s mountains. This is the charm of colorful Guizhou. What may seem like a glimpse of millennia is, in fact, a cultural stratum far deeper than imagined, requiring careful unraveling to reveal its distinctive Qian culture. Over time, this culture has been refined and nurtured, giving rise to an even more splendid multicultural tapestry, transforming this southwestern region into a magnificent and rugged plateau.
Ancient Yi script is one of the world’s oldest writing systems.
China’s most underrated "gaokao powerhouse,"
was built through generations of "venturing into the wilderness."
In 1508, the third year of the Zhengde era, Wang Yangming—son of a top scholar, a jinshi degree holder, and a child prodigy renowned in the capital—was exiled to Guizhou after offending the powerful eunuch Liu Jin and receiving forty court beatings. He was sent to a remote post as a lowly stationmaster in Longchang (today’s Longchang Town, Xiuwen County, Guiyang). "The world’s mountains converge in Yunnan and Guizhou," and even the greatest talent might be buried under these towering peaks. "The bird’s path winds up the Seven-Plate Ridge"—everything seemed... hopeless. If the road to Shu is harder than climbing to heaven, what of the road to Qian? In Qian, there was no road at all!
Seven-Plate Ridge, where Wang Yangming marveled at Guizhou’s "land of wonders."
Little did anyone know, the gears of fate had begun to turn. His act of defying tyranny with conscience in the imperial court had nearly cost him his life, yet his turning point emerged precisely in this seemingly hopeless land of Qian, in what strategists would call a dead end—where the flower of the School of Mind blossomed! "The Enlightenment at Longchang"—a radiant moment in Chinese intellectual history that illuminated hearts for over 500 years. This was one of the pivotal moments in China’s cultural history, a precious legacy Wang Yangming left to Guizhou. Yet perhaps even more significant was Guizhou’s nurturing of this philosophy.
Dongshan Yangming Cave, where Wang Yangming once lectured.
Wang Yangming was neither the first Central Plains scholar to enter Guizhou nor the last. Before him, Li Bai wrote, "I entrust my sorrow to the moon, following you west to Yelang," and Liu Yuxi penned, "The autumn waters of the Qian River touch the clouds; alone I sail the mercy boat, unswerving."
After him, generations of officials ventured into Guizhou, engaging in a remarkable chemical reaction with its local ethnic groups, chieftains, landscapes, and flora. Among them were Xu Xiake, Lin Zexu, and Hu Linyi... They imbued these karst mountains—riddled with sinkholes and caves—with humanistic hues. "To bestow civilization upon time, not time upon civilization" vividly captures their spirit. Every stroke they painted in Guizhou contributed to the later surge of talent, "ten thousand horses charging like dragons out of Guizhou." Step by step through mountains, step by step moving mountains—they created miracles.
The "Diary of a Mission to Guizhou" by Yan Xiu, a Tianjin native who served as Guizhou’s education commissioner during the late Qing Dynasty.
Photo/Chen Weihong, provided by Shu Qifeng
Wang Yangming was a shining star in Guizhou’s cultural firmament since the Ming and Qing dynasties, while generations of scholars who advanced Guizhou’s education formed a glittering galaxy. In modern terms, they worked to build a system—for individual efforts are limited, but a system ensuring enduring talent is the long-term solution.
Wenchang Pavilion, a famous cultural landmark in Guiyang.
In 1503, the 16th year of the Hongzhi era, before Wang Yangming set foot in Guizhou, the province welcomed a "director of education" named Mao Ke. Despite 90 years of provincial status, historical records show Guizhou had only two academies: Tongjiang Academy in Tongren and Caoting Academy in Huangping. The provincial capital’s once-great Wenming Academy lay in ruins. Mao Ke resolved to rebuild it, making it the largest academy in the province with over 200 students.
Mao Ke’s successor, Xi Shu, arrived in Guizhou in 1509, the fourth year of the Zhengde era, just as Wang Yangming was exiled to Longchang and founded Longgang Academy. Hearing of his fame, Guiyang students flocked to study under him. Admiring Wang’s integrity and scholarship, Xi Shu invited him to lecture in Guiyang. At Wenming Academy, Wang and Xi first discussed the "unity of knowledge and action." At the time, a provincial education official inviting a lowly stationmaster to lecture was a pivotal moment for Chinese intellectual history. It marked the transition of Yangming’s School of Mind from grassroots circles to official academies, establishing it as the mainstream of Ming-era Guizhou scholarship and inaugurating the province’s tradition of academic freedom.
Nan'an (Cuwei Pavilion), where Wang Yangming visited during his lectures in Guiyang.
Wang Yangming was not the only official demoted to Guizhou—in the fifth year of the Wanli era (1577), Zou Yuanbiao, a leader of the Donglin Party, was exiled to central Guizhou for opposing Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng's "usurpation of mourning" (normally, Zhang should have resigned for three years to observe filial piety after his father's death, but the emperor issued an edict allowing him to remain in office). Yet, this became another story of resilience in Guizhou. Zou immersed himself in Wang Yangming's philosophy of mind and gave lectures in Duyun, nurturing local youth and pioneering a scholarly tradition in southern Guizhou. The region flourished culturally, producing numerous talents. From the eighth year of Wanli (1580) to the thirty-first year of Guangxu (1905), Duyun alone produced 22 jinshi (metropolitan graduates), including Xia Tonghe, the top-ranked civil examination laureate in 1898.
Examination papers of students from Guishan Academy during the Qing Dynasty.
Following this legacy, another official, Hong Liangji, served as the Provincial Education Commissioner of Guizhou during the Qing Dynasty. In his three-year tenure, he cultivated many talents. From 1794 to 1795, over 50 students from Guishan Academy in the provincial capital passed the provincial examinations. In 1792, while overseeing the prefectural examinations in Duyun, Hong recognized the exceptional talent of Mo Yuchou, who later became a professor in Zunyi Prefecture. Mo mentored renowned scholars like Zheng Zhen and Mo Youzhi, pivotal figures in the rise of the "Shatan Culture" in Guizhou.
Mo Youzhi's transcriptions during his traditional academic research.
Transcriptions of the Three Stele Inscriptions from Bishuo Zhudingyuan Yishan.
Photo / Chen Weihong, Materials provided by Shu Qifeng.
Over centuries, Guizhou's cultural lineage thrived not only among Han immigrants and their descendants but also among ethnic minorities. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many minority students excelled in the provincial examinations, contributing to Guizhou's "6,000 provincial graduates and 700 jinshi."
For example, Shen You (a Gelao from Sinan Prefecture) was the third jinshi in Ming Guizhou and died in place of the emperor during the Tumu Crisis. Mo Yuchou, a famed Bouyei scholar and father of the "Three Mo Masters," along with his sons Mo Youzhi and Mo Tingzhi, were prominent late Qing scholars. Mo Youzhi co-authored the 48-volume Zunyi Prefecture Gazetteer with Zheng Zhen, praised by Liang Qichao as "the finest prefectural gazetteer in China." Li Wei, a Tujia, was a Ming Neo-Confucianist and representative of the Guizhou Wang Yangming School, later founding Zhonghe Academy in Sinan. Tian Qiu, another Tujia, pioneered Guizhou's education reform by petitioning for independent provincial examinations, approved in 1637. Later, seven Miao and Dong provincial graduates from southeast Guizhou signed the "Petition of the Examination Candidates" during the 1898 Reform Movement.
Former residence of Li Shuchang, a representative of Shatan Culture in Zunyi.
Ming and Qing officials in Guizhou established schools, Confucian temples, and academies, promoting Confucianism and nurturing talents. Local elites and migrants from the Central Plains also funded education, making Guizhou a "cultural pioneer" with remarkable achievements: "6,000 provincial graduates and 700 jinshi," including one military and two civil examination top scorers, earning its reputation as a "top examination province."
Anshun Confucian Temple, founded during the Hongwu era to "transform customs."
It documents Guizhou's educational development.
Like the Jiaxiu Tower standing over the Nanming River, this 400-year-old landmark was not built on mere water but atop a turtle-shaped boulder—a metaphor for Guizhou's culture: rooted in rugged land, its people became the bedrock, uplifting a vibrant mountainous civilization.
Jiaxiu Tower built on the turtle-shaped boulder in the Nanming River.
The Southwest's "Extraordinary Army" 600 Years Ago.
If Confucian scholars like Wang Yangming shaped Guizhou's cultural essence, Tunpu culture added a martial vigor to its landscape.
Panorama of Baojiatun, a representative Tunpu village.
Over 600 years ago, Zhu Chongba renamed himself Zhu Yuanzhang (meaning "a blade to destroy the Yuan") and founded the Ming Dynasty. In 1381, he sent Fu Youde, Lan Yu, and Mu Ying with 300,000 troops to pacify Yunnan, securing the southwest. To control Yunnan and strategize the region, Zhu stationed 200,000 soldiers in Guizhou, implementing the garrison system under the Guizhou Regional Military Commission. These troops and migrants tamed the land, reshaping Guizhou's history and safeguarding China's southwest.
Descendants of these Ming garrisons, distinct in language, attire, architecture, and customs, formed Guizhou's unique Tunpu culture.
Baojiatun was established in the second year of the Hongwu era (1369),
making it one of the earliest Tunpu villages in Anshun.
The genealogies compiled by major Tunpu families in the Anshun region serve as carriers of this familial and national memory. Professor Wu Yu, an expert from the Guizhou Tunpu Culture Research Center, conducted in-depth research on 30 genealogies from Xixiu and Pingba in Anshun. These include the genealogies of the so-called "Eighteen Commanders" from the "Northern Expedition to the South," as well as those of highly influential figures such as General Fu Youde, vanguard Gu Cheng, descendants of Wang Gong (widely revered by the Tunpu people), and families like the Bao clan (of "the First Tunpu Village—Baojiatun"), the Jin clan (known as "the Richest Family East of the City"), the Chen clan of Tianlong, and the Mei clan.
All 30 genealogies clearly record that the origins of the Tunpu people trace back primarily to the Central Plains or Jiangnan, particularly Nanjing or Huizhou. Nearly all Tunpu genealogies indicate their migration to Guizhou was tied to national affairs, documenting their historical political mission. Among the 30 genealogies, 25 explicitly attribute the Tunpu people's arrival in Guizhou to the Ming Dynasty's "Northern Expedition to the South" political and military campaign.
Schematic diagram of Tunpu culture genealogy statistics.
The Tunpu people and their culture serve as both a cipher for exploring Ming Dynasty history and a vivid testament to Guizhou's historical development. Gu Cheng, who made significant contributions to the establishment of Guizhou as a province during the Ming Dynasty, is revered as the "founding ancestor" of the Gu clan in Jiuxi Village, Anshun. Villagers have lived here for 600 years, guarding Gu Cheng's cenotaph in the village.
Among Anshun's 300-plus ancient Tunpu villages, Jiuxi Village is the largest in terms of Tunpu population. Here, Tunpu women dressed in traditional Fengyang-style Han clothing stroll through quaint alleys. Occasionally, they can be seen naturally entering village supermarkets at street corners, warmly nodding greetings, evoking a sense of time travel.
Tunpu people wearing distinctive attire.
Led by villagers surnamed Gu, we visited Gu Cheng's cenotaph and listened to stories of their ancestor—Gu Cheng, a personal guard of Zhu Yuanzhang, renowned for his strength and bravery. Once, when Zhu's boat ran aground on a sandbar, Gu Cheng carried it ashore. In the eighth year of Hongwu (1375), Gu Cheng was stationed in Guizhou and later served as vanguard under General Fu Youde in the expedition to Yunnan, capturing Puding (modern Anshun, where "Gu Mansion Street" still marks his former residence). After repeated campaigns in Guizhou, he was promoted to Deputy Commander of Guizhou. When Zhu Di became emperor, Gu Cheng was ennobled as Marquis of Zhenyuan and continued guarding Guizhou.
Gu Cheng played a pivotal role in Guizhou's provincial establishment—in 1411, when two powerful Tusi clans (the Tians) waged war over cinnabar mines, the 81-year-old general quelled the conflict with 50,000 troops. The Ming government then replaced the Sinen and Sizhou Tusi systems with direct administration, establishing the "Eight Prefectures of Early Ming" in 1413. Spanning northeastern and southeastern Guizhou, these prefectures—along with the Guizhou Pacification Commission and three additional prefectures—formed one of the Ming's Thirteen Provincial Administration Commissions, marking Guizhou's formal debut as China's 13th province.
Zhenyuan was one of Guizhou's "Eight Prefectures" in early Ming. Pictured: Ancient architecture of Zhenyuan.
According to the Lushan Gu Clan Genealogy, the Gu immigrant clan later branched out, with one lineage entering southeastern Guizhou. Today, in Kaihuai Township, Kaili, stands the tomb of Gu Liangxiang—a Ming-era Guizhou commander and Guangwei General. The epitaph identifies him as Gu Cheng's sixth-generation descendant: "...For over 400 years, our Gu clan...though divided into Han and Miao branches, remains united. Ethnic integration began with him..." The parallel development of Han and Miao branches under shared ancestry exemplifies centuries of ethnic harmony.
Dixi opera is a key symbol of Tunpu culture.
Pictured: Crafting Dixi opera masks.
Baojiatun, another major Tunpu village, showcases even more unique features. Established in 1369—before Zhu Yuanzhang's Yunnan expedition—General Bao Fubao led troops deep into central Guizhou (then under Yuan rule) and founded Baojiatun at a site called Yangliuwan.
Baojiatun features a central axis: the south-facing village layout includes a gate,瓮城 (barbican), Wang Gong Temple, Great Buddha Hall, Guandi Temple, training grounds, and Bao Clan Ancestral Hall.
The axis prioritizes "official structures," flanked by dense residences and winding lanes. Such urban planning—rare for villages—reflects dual needs: military defense against contemporary threats and creating a sustainable spiritual-communal settlement, encapsulating both "family" and "nation."
Bao Family Boxing, passed down through generations in Baojiatun.
Unlike other Tunpu villages, Baojiatun boasts a "waterscape garden" typical of Huizhou—a legacy of its founders from Tangyue, She County, Anhui, who brought hydraulic expertise. Ancient irrigation works, especially the "fish-mouth分流" channel at Shuicang Dam, still benefit descendants today, akin to Dujiangyan in Chengdu.
Baojiatun's "fish-mouth分流" hydraulic engineering.
Guizhou and Jiangnan, separated by thousands of miles, thus achieved a new vibrancy on the plateau through a kind of historical union.
Why did the Red Army during the Long March have to come to Guizhou?
Guizhou always appears at critical junctures in Chinese history. For the Chinese revolution, Guizhou is undoubtedly the greatest turning point. So, why did the Red Army hold the Zunyi Conference in Guizhou?
Tongdao Conference: "Urgent in the Extreme" to Enter Guizhou from the West
In 1934, after the failure of the fifth counter-campaign against the "encirclement and suppression" in the Central Soviet Area, the Central Red Army was forced to make a strategic retreat, initially aiming to join forces with the Red Second and Red Sixth Armies in western Hunan to establish a new revolutionary base there. After breaking through the fourth blockade line and crossing the Xiang River, the Central Red Army and its personnel suffered heavy losses, dwindling from 86,000 at the start of the Long March to just over 30,000. Chiang Kai-shek had already detected the Central Red Army's intention to head north to western Hunan to join the Red Second and Red Sixth Armies. If the Central Red Army continued north as planned, it would inevitably fall into the enemy's trap, risking total annihilation.
The "Climbing Snowy Mountains" exhibition in "Red Ribbon" (a digital display of Long March culture).
At this critical juncture of survival, the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party held an emergency meeting on December 12, 1934, in the old county town of Tongdao County, Hunan (historically known as the "Tongdao Conference"). Mao Zedong, who had his first opportunity to speak at a meeting since the start of the Long March, analyzed the military situation and proposed abandoning the original plan to head north to western Hunan and instead advancing into Guizhou, where enemy forces were weaker.
The Long March journey exhibition in "Red Ribbon" (a digital display of Long March culture).
Most of the attendees agreed with and supported Mao's proposal to change direction. Even Bo Gu had to verbally agree to advance into Guizhou. The final decision was to enter Guizhou from the west. This marked the first time since the start of the fifth counter-campaign that Mao had a say in military discussions and the first time the "Troika" accepted Mao's correct military strategy.
After the meeting, at 7:30 p.m., the Central Revolutionary Military Commission issued an "urgent in the extreme" telegram to the leaders of all army columns, ordering them to enter Guizhou from the west. History ultimately chose Guizhou.
The panoramic view of "Red Ribbon" (a digital display of Long March culture).
Houchang Conference: The Eve of the Great Historical Turning Point
After the Tongdao Conference, the Red Army entered Guizhou, but debates within the Party about the strategic direction of the Red Army's advance never ceased. Before the Zunyi Conference, the Central Politburo held two more important meetings in Guizhou: the Liping Conference and the Houchang Conference.
The Houchang Conference is called "the eve of the great historical turning point."
In today's Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, there is a late Qing-era residential building on Erlang Slope with tall firewalls at both ends and five rooms in width. This was once the Hu Rongshun Trading Firm, where the Liping Conference was held in 1934. Meanwhile, in Houchang Village, about 1 km west of today's Houchang Town, Weng'an County, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, there is a quadrangle courtyard locally known as "One Seal." This was the site of the Houchang Conference held from late 1934 to early 1935. These two courtyards in Guizhou witnessed historic moments of the Red Army on the Long March and the process of truth emerging through debate.
Regarding whether to head north or west, the Liping Conference finally reached a clear conclusion—most attendees accepted Comrade Mao Zedong's correct proposal to "advance into northwestern Guizhou" and passed the "Decision of the Central Politburo on Strategic Policy," confirming the strategic decision to redirect forces into Guizhou.
The Houchang Conference, described by Zhou Enlai as "the eve of the great historical turning point," saw heated debates that completely rejected Bo Gu and Li De's erroneous proposal to turn east and join the Red Second and Red Sixth Armies. It reaffirmed the Liping Conference's strategic plan to cross the Wu River and develop northern Guizhou to establish a new base, effectively stripping Li De of his command over the Central Red Army. The conference adopted the "Decision on the New Action Policy After Crossing the River," laying the ideological and organizational foundation for the successful convening of the Zunyi Conference.
The Long March journey exhibition in "Red Ribbon" (a digital display of Long March culture).
Guizhou was the province where the Red Army spent the longest time and covered the widest area during the Long March. After the Central Red Army began the Long March in December 1934, it moved into Guizhou. The Red Sixth Army, the Central Red Army, and the Red Second and Red Sixth Armies passed through Guizhou over a span of more than two years, traversing nine cities (prefectures) and over 60 counties (cities, districts).
Guizhou may seem like a dead end, but it actually offers countless paths—only revealed to the bravest. Here, "peaks touch the sky, and even birds cannot pass," and "rivers churn with giant waves," yet the Red Army merely "marched over the towering Wumeng Mountains as if treading on clay pellets" and "fought like ten thousand horses in full gallop." Even "steep passes and winding paths" could be "crossed anew." Thus, on the crimson banks of the Chishui River, in the deep valleys of the Wu River, and amid the vast Dalou Mountains, the red epic merged with the majestic landscapes of hundreds of millions of years. A fine wine or an ancient song gained luster from the legends of heroes.
The Chishui River, known as the "Golden Waterway," is located in Bing'an Town, Chishui City.
It was once the battlefield of the "Four Crossings of the Chishui River."
In Zhenning, Guizhou, the Red Army signed the "Anti-Chiang Agreement" with local Buyi leader Lu Ruiguang, marking the first political alliance between the Red Army and an ethnic minority, historically known as the Longran Alliance. In May 1934, the Red Third Army entered eastern Guizhou and issued the "Letter from the Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic to the Comrades of the Religious Militias in Yinjiang, Dejiang, Wuchuan, and Yanhe Counties, Guizhou," rallying local peasant armed groups, known as the "Divine Soldiers" of eastern Guizhou, to join the revolution. These forces fought bravely alongside the Red Army and were eventually reorganized into the Eastern Guizhou Column.
In the Eastern Guizhou Special Zone, the Red Army passed the "Resolution on the Miao Ethnic Issue." As they approached southeastern Guizhou, they issued the "Slogans Regarding the Miao and Yao Peoples," and the Red Army Headquarters, upon entering Jianhe County, issued the "Directive on Paying Attention to Relations with the Miao People and Strengthening Discipline Inspections." These documents were practical, simple, and sincere, with provisions such as "ethnic equality," "all Miao affairs to be resolved by the Miao themselves," "abolish all exorbitant taxes and levies," and "mountain fields have few cattle, and the people treasure them like life—never slaughter cattle. Confiscated cattle from landlords should be distributed to the masses, and those who kill cattle indiscriminately must be severely punished."
These documents and resolutions galvanized the revolutionary enthusiasm of all ethnic groups, enriched the early ethnic policies of the Party, and united all forces that could be united, making "red" one of the most important and vibrant colors in the diverse tapestry of Guizhou.
The diversity and richness of Guizhou's culture are deeply shaped by its mountainous terrain.
Mountains are both barriers and cradles.
Within their respective living spaces, people adapt to local conditions and use available resources to create miracles in the mountains—whether in housing, architecture, writing, language, cuisine, literature, or art.
The ancient town of Zhenyuan is a hidden gem of multicultural fusion in Guizhou's mountains.
When modern roads and bridges connected these mountains, the terrain became a carrier for cultural wonders. This is a long-overlooked cultural plateau; what the world sees is merely one facet of its diversity, with more cultural codes waiting to be uncovered and deciphered.
In 2023, "Authentic Flavors" launched
the Guizhou Culture Special Feature: "Colorful Guizhou: Humanistic Landscapes · Peaks of Time"!
Click the link to revisit the first article in this series—
How to Understand the Multicolored Cultural Epic of China's Premier Mountain Province?
The theme is interpreting the cultural essence of Guizhou.
Take you on a journey to appreciate the "Cultural Archipelago" of Guizhou.
《>>>Click for an immersive drift to discover the legends of Guizhou's Qingshui River?》
Take you to experience the vibrant culture behind the Qingshui River, linking Hunan and Guizhou.
《With only 300 households, why is this village the treasure of Qiandongnan's Dong settlements?》
Take you to explore the cultural secrets hidden in Guizhou's mountains.
Text Editors | Spark Fan, Houguo
Graphic Design | Jiuyang, Dongzi
Cover Design | Chen Weihong, Wu Xuewen
Former Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Guizhou Provincial People's Congress
Former Director of the Guizhou Provincial Research Institute of Culture and History, Chief Editor of "Guizhou Library"
Former Director of the Institute of History, Guizhou Academy of Social Sciences
Former Director of the Guizhou Provincial Local Chronicles Office
Associate Professor, School of History and Ethnic Culture, Guizhou University
Director of the "Yangming Studies Research Center," Guizhou University
Member of the Guizhou Provincial Research Institute of Culture and History, Expert in Biographical History
Author of "Six Thousand Provincial Graduates and Seven Hundred Imperial Scholars"
"Overview of Chinese Regional Culture: Guizhou Volume," Zhonghua Book Company, Edited by Gu Jiu
"Overview of Guizhou Red Culture," Compiled by the Research Office of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the CPC
"Migration History of Guizhou's Indigenous Ethnic Groups," Guizhou People's Publishing House, Edited by Li Pingfan and Yan Yong
"The Bouyei People of China," Ningxia People's Publishing House, Edited by Yang Hongfeng
"Guizhou Provincial Chronicles: Ethnic Chronicles," Guizhou Ethnic Publishing House, Compiled by the Guizhou Provincial Local Chronicles Compilation Committee
"The Gelao People of Wuchuan," Guizhou Ethnic Publishing House, Compiled by the Ethnic Affairs Bureau of Wuchuan Gelao and Miao Autonomous County
"Investigations on the Traditional Culture of the Yi People in Guizhou," Guizhou Education Publishing House, by Li Pingfan and Ma Changda
"The First Tunbao Village of the Ming Dynasty: Baojiatun," Bashu Publishing House, by Yang Youwei, Bao Zhongxing, Tang Mingying, and Ding Wuguang
"Great Series of Chinese Regional Culture: Guizhou Culture," Inner Mongolia Education Publishing House, by Shi Jizhong et al.
"Encyclopedia of the Tujia Ethnic Group in Guizhou" Guizhou Publishing Group, Guizhou Nationalities Publishing House, compiled by the Guizhou Tujia Studies Association
"Officials Entering Guizhou During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911)" Guizhou People's Publishing House, by Pang Sichun
Official website of Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
Guizhou Provincial People's Government - Statistical Yearbook
Official website of the Party History Research Office of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee
"Guizhou Province's 14th Five-Year Plan for the Protection and Development of Ethnic Characteristic Villages"
Publicity Department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee
Publicity Department of the CPC Zunyi Municipal Committee
Publicity Department of the CPC Bijie Municipal Committee
Publicity Department of the CPC Qianxinan Prefectural Committee
Publicity Department of the CPC Qiandongnan Prefectural Committee
Publicity Department of the CPC Huichuan District Committee
Publicity Department of the CPC Qixingguan District Committee