Ritual and Society: A Comparative Study of Miao Weddings in Southeast Guizhou and Northeast Guizhou

Abstract

This article aims to compare the ritual processes and social significance of Miao weddings in the Southeast and Northeast regions of Guizhou. The article deeply explores the differences in youth social interaction and spouse selection methods, the symbolic logic and kinship rules in the engagement process, the view of the marital process reflected by the "not settling in the husband's home" custom, and the symbolic function of wedding costumes and silver ornaments. Based on public government documents, authoritative media reports, and related anthropological and ethnological research findings, this study, through comparative analysis, attempts to reveal the cultural diversity formed due to geographical region within the same ethnic group and its deep social logic.