Travel through 600 years of history and explore China's only legally gun-carrying tribe!

Nestled in the lush mountains of southeastern Guizhou, Basha Miao Village (pronounced "biā shā") is like a hidden gem frozen in time—where ancient traditions such as haircuts with sickles, tree worship, and ceremonial gun salutes are still preserved. It's a "living fossil" of Miao culture and a secluded paradise highly recommended by *China National Geographic*!

🌟 **Must-Experience Highlights**
**Encounter the "Gunmen Tribe"**
Men carry flintlock guns at their waists and gunpowder tubes on their shoulders—not as symbols of force but as reverence for their ancestors' hunting traditions (guns are loaded only with gunpowder for ceremonial salutes).
**Must-See Performance**: At daily 10:00 AM/3:00 PM cultural shows, gunmen fire salutes to welcome guests, Lusheng dances shake the valleys, and sickle haircuts showcase primal beliefs—a topknot symbolizes the "tree of life," while shaving signifies rebirth!

**Sacred Trees & Forest Worship**
Millennium-old trees in the village are revered as "tree gods." A tree is planted for every newborn and felled for coffins upon death, completing nature's cycle 🌳. Stroll the flagstone paths, touch moss-covered bark, and feel the philosophy of human-nature harmony.

**Cloud-Cloaked Terraces & Sunset Secrets**
At dusk, hike to the village's viewing platform to see golden sunsets gilding layered terraces, with cooking smoke curling up from stilt houses. If lucky, mountain mists may transform the scene into a *Misty Forest* film set! 📸 (Photographers, bring telephoto lenses!)

💡 **Niche Experiences & Tips**
**Deep Dive**:
✅ **Learn Batik**: Craft indigo-dyed cloth with Miao grandmothers and take home a unique blue-and-white scarf.
✅ **Long Table Feast**: Savor sour fish soup + sticky rice paired with Miao toast songs under starry skies.

**Getting There**:
🚗 Take a high-speed train to *Congjiang Station*, then a 30-minute taxi ride (≈¥50).
💰 Entrance: ¥80 (includes shows); gun photo ops: ¥10/shot.

**Stay**:
🌌 Book a stilt-house homestay (e.g., *Gunmen's Homestead*)—wake to terraced fields and sea of clouds! ~¥150/night.

**Heads-Up**: Respect local customs! ❌ Don’t touch guns/point them at people. ❌ Avoid stepping on ritual stones. Always smile before photographing villagers.