In the past, the Miao people in the southeastern part of Guizhou Province knew how to weave brocade, but now only some areas of the Miao people have mastered this skill. Leishan is mainly spread in Shanglangde, Baode, Wuliu, Xijiang, Danjiang, Gongtong and other places in Langde Town; Majiang is mainly distributed in Xinhua Village, Tonggu Village, Baiyang Village, Baiwu Village in Xiasi Town, Longjiang Village, Fujiang Village, Kawu Village, Luoyi Village in Xuanwei Town, Gonghe Village and Datang Village in Longshan Township. Among them, the brocade of Gongtong Village in Leishan County is the most exquisite and beautiful. According to historical records, the women of the ancestors of the Sanmiao people wore "bird-patterned flower clothes", which shows that the ancient Miao people had already worn beautiful clothes with flower and bird patterns. "Chu Ci Yuanyou" records: "Building a majestic rainbow and picking flags, the five colors are mixed and dazzling." This shows that the Miao clothing in history was exquisite in fabrics, fine in embroidery, and peculiar in patterns. In order to avoid the wars in the Central Plains of the past dynasties, the Miao people moved west to the mountains in the southwest and lived a relatively stable farming life, and the brocade weaving method has been passed down to this day. Brocade adopts the traditional weaving method of the Miao people to directly weave patterned fabrics through a variety of interweaving methods of warp and weft. It is mainly used as fabric for clothes, waistbands, straps, backpacks, belts, etc. The Miao brocade weaving methods are divided into weaving and machine weaving. The raw materials used are divided into plain and colored. It uses white yarn as the warp, black silk yarn and white thread as the weft. Machine weaving is to use a loom to weave brocade, which is different from the general weaving equipment. Only two heddles are used to weave plain cloth, while at least five heddles are used for brocade. Each heddle is connected to a pedal board, and there are generally four pedal boards. The patterns produced by different pedaling methods are different. Only two pedal boards can be stepped on each time, one by one, or repeated, or reversed after stepping. Simple weaving methods are all symmetrical and monotonous, and are generally used for brocade belts. Weaving is a weaving method that uses hands instead of picking boards or heddles to stagger the warp threads up and down. When some girls go to the mountains to work or graze, they roll up the warp threads and put them on a reed (short reed) and carry them with them. When they are free, they tie one end to a small tree and the other end to a belt, pick up the warp threads by hand and introduce the weft threads. The weaving pattern is the same as that of machine weaving. Gongtong brocade uses fine silk as warp and weft threads. On the horizontal loom, with the patterns stored in the brain of each brocade weaver, the yarn is picked up with bamboo pieces and the warp is pressed by foot, and then the shuttle is thrown and the reed is pulled. The brocade is delicate and shiny, with a soft touch and elegant colors. The patterns include flying herons, duckweed, swimming fish, small horn flowers, longevity patterns, geometric patterns, whip patterns, etc. The silk used in this brocade is so fine that it reaches 60 warp threads and 90 weft threads per square centimeter, which is about 38 liters. The patterns of Miao brocade are geometric patterns or patterns of birds and beasts, flowers, birds, insects, fish and figures, with strong contrasting colors and harmonious unity. The brocade pattern looks like a regular geometric pattern, but if you look closely, you will see countless deformed animal combinations. Among the many deformed animals, one or two animal patterns of wealth and auspiciousness are often used as the main axis, with other animals and plants as the background. The color configuration is either woven on a plain background or woven on a colored background. The bold use of contrasting colors such as red and green, white and black, red and blue, yellow and purple, and the clever use of double lines, gold and silver coins achieve a harmonious artistic effect. The brocade has exquisite composition, fine workmanship, flexible and changeable patterns without losing coordination and symmetry, strong three-dimensional sense, beautiful and generous, and has a high aesthetic research value. Research on brocade materials, needlework, patterns, etc. can learn about the Miao people's clothing concepts and cultural awareness, and can interpret the Miao people's history and social form. The main inheritors of Miao brocade are Wen Xiuying, Yu Zhanjin, Yu Zhongfen, Pan Guoying, Long Xingzhen, Zhao Yuanzhi, etc. Although Miao brocade is beautiful and generous, the younger generation prefers to wear Han costumes instead of their own ethnic costumes. Secondly, brocade weaving takes a certain amount of time and requires certain skills, which young people do not have enough mastery of. Thirdly, there are very few young girls who seriously learn brocade weaving technology, and Miao brocade is facing an endangered situation. Information source: Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Center (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) Information source: Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Center (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)