Basha

The Last Gunmen's Tribe in China

Located in the moon-shaped mountains of Congjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, Basha Miao Village is a place where ancient warrior traditions survive in the modern world. Situated just 7.5 kilometers from the Congjiang county seat, this village is hidden deep within a lush bamboo forest. Basha (often spelled Biasha) is world-renowned as "The Last Gunmen's Tribe in China." It is the only community in the country legally permitted to carry real firearms (firelock muskets) and knives as part of their daily attire and heritage.

1.Stepping into: Basha feels like traveling back in time to a primitive era. The men, known for their unique warrior appearance, wear shiny black indigo-dyed tunics, carry gunpowder pouches and hunting knives at their waists, and hold long muskets on their shoulders. They keep a distinct hairstyle dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties, shaving most of their heads with sickles and keeping a ponytail bun (called "Hugun") on top. This isolation has preserved a way of life that prizes nature, bravery, and ancestral spirits above all else.

The Cult of the Tree

2.The spiritual life of: Basha revolves around the worship of trees. Unlike many other cultures, the Basha people do not build temples or graves. They believe that the soul resides in the trees. When a child is born, the parents plant a tree for them; when a person dies, they are buried, and a tree is planted over the grave to mark the return of their soul to nature. The "Tree God" (Mapu) is their supreme deity.

The village is surrounded by ancient maples and sweet gum trees, which are considered sacred. Cutting down these ancient trees is strictly forbidden, creating a dense, green canopy that shrouds the wooden stilted houses (Diaojiaolou) in mystery. This deep reverence for nature makes Basha a profound example of ecological harmony.

Unique Customs and Ceremonies

A visit to Basha offers witnessing rituals found nowhere else on earth.

• 3.The Gun Salute: Visitors are often welcomed at the village gate by a line of Basha men firing their muskets into the sky, while girls in traditional skirts block the way with rice wine.
• 4.Sickle Shaving: One of the most shocking and fascinating performances is the traditional haircut. A village elder uses a sharp sickle—ordinarily used for harvesting crops—to dry-shave a man's head, leaving only the central bun. This demonstrates the immense trust and bravery within the community.
• 5.Adult Ceremony: For boys, the transition to manhood involves a ritual at 15 years old, where they are given a gun and their first "Hugun" haircut, signifying they are ready to protect the family and the village.

Architecture and Daily Life

The architecture consists of traditional wooden stilted houses built on slopes, using bark or tiles for roofing. Rows of drying racks for sticky rice (Huanhu) can be seen throughout the village. Women in Basha are skilled in embroidery and batik, often seen beating cloth by the river or dyeing fabrics with egg whites and indigo to create the shiny, leather-like texture of the men's clothing.