The Hmong Living Culture Museum

The Hmong Living Culture Museum is an online cultural platform established collaboratively by a group of teenagers passionate about the Hmong. It particularly focuses on the Hmong communities in the Qingshui River of Qiandongnan Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China. Three years ago, as we embarked on a journey to Hmong lands and became acquainted with the people there, we were deeply touched by their pure pursuit of joy and beauty in life, which has in turn spurred our passion for promoting Hmong culture. Hence, we created this online platform of the Hmong Living Culture Museum, sharing our observations and research with more friends interested in the Hmong. Together, we can explore the vitality of the Hmong and seek its myriad connections with our culture and society.

Historically, the land has been a core habitation for the “raw” Hmong, i.e. unassimilated Hmong, during the Qing dynasty. It was a strategic military location among the mountains and rivers as well as a hub of bustling ports and trade, containing countless cultural and historical artifacts awaiting exploration. The word “living” aptly describes the enchanting nature of Hmong culture––the artifacts are still used by the locals nowadays and evolves in tandem with the times. As a result, we adopted the approach of 'one cultural element + one individual' as the theme for the museum. The cultural elements can be artifacts, festivals, ceremonies, myths, or symbols, while the individuals are those closely connected with these elements. Through interviews, we can dive into the fascinating stories of the Hmong people and their culture. As the number of themes we explore increases, the content will become more enriched, presenting a more vivid and dynamic cultural world of the Hmong.