1. Silver collar
The Miao people attach great importance to the decoration of the chest and neck, so the silver collar has become a branch of well-made silver ornaments. There are two types: chain type and ring type. The chain is connected by links and can be changed flexibly; The circle is made of silver pieces or bars and cannot be moved after setting. A few also have links in one. In addition, there is a kind of silver platoon circle, namely the ring, which is popular in Duliujiang River Basin in Guizhou. Each set has at least a few rings and at most a ten ring, and the diameter of the circle increases step by step from the inside out. There are 8-ring necklaces, melon necklaces, beaded necklaces, square necklaces, bell necklaces and so on. There are hemp rope collars, hemp rope collars, link collars, louver collars, basket flower collars, rattan collars, silver dragon collars and square column hemp rope collars. There are hundreds of chains, and the chain is in one. This ring necklace is very strange. It consists of 14 rings, and the silver sheet is used as the inner ring. In order to avoid overlapping rings, the rings are fixed with silver wires at equal distances, and the torus is made of butterflies and melons. Stranded collar is a twisted flower, which is continuously woven by two silver bars that run through each other, and both ends are twisted into a cylinder with thin silver wires. Its shape is gorgeous. The silver dragon collar is double-layered, spliced with silver pieces, with a flat inner layer and a semicircular surface. Above is a relief painting of two dragons playing with beads. Eleven strings of silver pendants are hung on the lower edge of the collar, which are divided into four levels, representing butterflies, lotus bodhisattvas, silver bells and leaves respectively. It has an atmospheric shape and complicated technology, and is a fine product among the Miao silver collars. The making process of rattan collar is simple, but the shapes of ancient branches and vines make people feel the fresh breath of Shan Ye.
2. Silver collar
Silver pressing collar is a popular pressing decoration in Miao areas of Qingshuihe River valley in western Hunan and Guizhou, which is named because it can be worn flat on skirts. The silver collar system evolved from the long-life lock. Wanshousuo, formerly known as "Wanshoubao", began in the Han Dynasty. It is a five-color silk thread hung on the door cap to ward off evil spirits during the Dragon Boat Festival. In the Ming dynasty, it evolved into a special neck ornament for children, and then gradually developed into a long-lived lock. Wanshousuo is located in some Miao areas in central Guizhou and Qingshuihe River basin, and it still maintains its original rectangle. The lock basket has the style of "long life and wealth" and is often connected with or used with the collar. The silver pressing collar is far away from the prototype, and it is semicircular or kidney-shaped, and its volume is increased several times, with rich patterns and complicated manufacturing process. The silver collar of Miao nationality in western Hunan is waist-shaped, with two dragon-playing beads on the surface and ten butterflies, each with three silver chain leaves. 16 cm long silver pendants poured down like waterfalls, covering the belly. The silver pressing collar at the foot of Leigong Mountain is a combination of round carving, relief carving and general carving, with complex shape and exquisite craftsmanship. The tattoo of the Lord is a sculpture of two circular silver and phosphorus protrusions, with a movable silver ball in the middle, a silver dragon leaping above and a cluster of silver flowers below.
3. Silver breastplate
Silver badges are popular in some Miao areas. Generally, it is made of single-layer rectangular or semi-circular basket-shaped silver pieces, which are regular in shape and closer to the silver collar and silver lock. Like the silver collar, the silver breastplate evolved from the longevity lock. Therefore, these three kinds of silver ornaments are generally only used in the same branch, not more than two. Some silver badges are relatively simple and small in size. Some silver badges are relatively large, two or three pieces are spliced together, covering almost the whole chest and abdomen of the wearer, and the decorative effect is very exaggerated.
4. Silver chest pendant
Common silver chest pendants include butterfly pendants, bird pendants, fish pendants, money pendants, horse-riding character pendants and so on. Generally, it is composed of silver chains, tags and pendants. There are many levels, one at the first level and one at the first level, and many of them can reach level 4 or 5. The butterfly crane popular in Duliujiang River Basin is the largest, with five grades and a total length of more than 85 cm. The bird-shaped cranes in this area are primitive, rough, simple and lovely, and unique. The chest ornaments in most areas are exquisite. Most of them are "five soldiers". "Wu Bingpei" was a popular decorative weapon in Han Dynasty, and it was an evil thing at that time. The common weapons in Miao silver symbols are knives, guns, shields, rice and sticks, as well as knives, swords, spears and shovels. On the one hand, the Miao silver jewelry retains the shape of "Five Soldiers' Wear", on the other hand, it has been reformed, adding toothpicks, ear spoons, shovels, tweezers and other pendants. Therefore, "Wubing Pei" is called "toothpick hanging" in Miao township. Other silver ornaments, such as pressure collar and waist ornaments, are mostly made by five soldiers.