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Guizhou

Guizhou, as a multi-minority province in Southwest China, is sandwiched in between popular neighbors Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guangxi, and rarely gets any attention, but Guizhou ranked as the sixth-largest travel area in the world by Lonely Planet (the only region in China) in 2020 with its charm. From Huangguoshu Waterfall to Jiabang Terraces, from Zhaoxing to Kaili, many unique scenic spots and local minorities attract a constant swirl of visitors.

ABC’s of Guizhou

Area: 176 100 km2
Average annual temperature: 18.2 degrees
Geography: A mountainous region located in southwestern China
Population: 35 800 000 inhabitants(2018)
Altitude: 1,000 m on average
Ethnic minorities: 17 ethnic minorities including the Dong, Buyi, Zhuang, Miao, and Tujia, etc.
Economy: agricultural, tourism

Guizhou Top Attractions

Guizhou is a subtropical humid monsoon climate which means it’s pretty wet. The weather is changeable, as the saying goes, you can experience all four seasons in one day.

In winter, the temperature fluctuates between 1 and 10 degrees, while in summer, the temperature rarely exceeds 28 degrees. The least rainy month is between October and April, and the beginning of spring is the best season for traveling in Guizhou.

Guizhou

The history of Guizhou started around 1046 BC when the Qin Dynasty was established. Before that time, the province is part of the State of Shu. Guizhou was a county in the Han dynasty and until the Ming dynasty, it was turned into a province and got the official name. This prompted mass migration from Sichuan, Hunan, and the other neighboring provinces into Guizhou.

Guizhou is a revolutionary place for the Chinese Communist Party. In 1935, the Communist Party held a critical conference in Zunyi City (historically known as “Zunyi Conference”), which established Maozedong’s leading position in the party and laid a foundation for the victory.

During the Second Sino-Japanese war, China improved transportation in Guizhou as it served as a link to Burma Road. When the Chinese economic reform started in 1978, Guizhou got less influence due to geographical factors. Today, Guizhou has become one of the fastest-growing provinces in China.

There are 17 ethnic minorities in Guizhou, accounting for nearly 40% of the total population. Buyi, Miao, Dong, Yi, Tujia, Gelao, Hui, Shui, and Bai are the main minorities in the province.

Delays in development have allowed many of these cultures to maintain their traditional lifestyles. Until today, many villages maintain their ethnic architectural styles, especially the wooden-stilt houses and wooden drum towers of the Dong nationality are very famous and attract many tourists.

There are believers of Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Christianity in the Guizhou region. Among them, ethnic minorities account for about 70%. Also, ethnic minorities have their traditional religions.

Renowned local specialties of the Miao and Dong minority:

  • Fish in sour soup (specialties of the Miao group)
  • Pickled vegetables
  • Dongs’ grilled glutinous rice
  • colorful glutinous rice dyed with plant

Trips and Tours Ideas in Guizhou

Yao Minorities

Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guilin: villages & minorities

17 days | Lijiang, Shangri-La, Dali, Zhaoxing, Guilin, and Yangshuo
These three provinces of southern China are home to some of the most famous natural scenery in China. You can experience a variety of colorful minority mosaic.