Silverwork Workshops

The women working silverwork in their doorways in the residential lanes of Xijiang — away from the commercial street that runs from the entrance — are the place to understand the real craft rather than the tourist economy. The workshops where genuine handmade pieces are produced are concentrated in the upper residential area of the village, a ten-minute walk above the main square.

What's sold along the main commercial street ranges from mass-produced tourist pieces to genuine handwork; the price difference reflects the difference in method and time. A genuine handmade necklace involves several days' work and costs correspondingly more than a machine-stamped equivalent. The silversmiths working in doorways will generally allow you to watch and will explain the technique if you ask; a few speak enough English or are patient enough with sign language to demonstrate the wire-drawing process.

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Miao silverwork from this region involves techniques of filigree (细工, xìgōng) and repoussé that distinguish it from the machine-stamped silver sold at tourist markets throughout the province. The filigree method involves drawing silver into wire of different thicknesses, then bending and soldering the wire into the geometric and zoomorphic patterns characteristic of Miao aesthetic. A skilled silversmith can tell from examining a piece whether it was made by hand or by machine; the distinction is visible in the irregularity of handmade wire and the depth of handmade solder joints.

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