After staying in Kunming for a whole month, Si Yiyan took Wen Xinya to the second stop of the trip - Dali!
Dali is mainly a gathering place for Bai people, and there is also a large number of Miao people here. Many activities are concentrated in March and April, which are not only colorful but also full of fun.
Wen Xinya was wearing typical traditional clothing for Miao women.
She wears a silver headdress with a phoenix spreading its wings on the brim of the silver hat, which is about to fly. The silver hat is covered with flower vines and various silver pieces, with butterflies lingering among the flowers. It is surrounded by beaded flowers, which is intricate and exquisite. Around her neck hangs a necklace of decreasing size, with silver petal-patterned tassels hanging below. It is exquisitely made and amazing.
It is full of strong rural flavor, yet it retains its natural simplicity, beauty and purity.
"Grandma, you are amazing. These silver ornaments are really beautiful." Wen Xinya spoke slowly in Chinese, gesturing with her hands as she talked to the Miao grandma.
Because she was very interested in the Miao jewelry-making culture, Si Yiyan took her to the Miao gathering place and rented a quiet and clean homestay.
This mother-in-law is the owner of the B&B and also a very famous local silver jewelry maker. She came to her every day in the past two days to learn about the Miao jewelry making culture, which gave her a lot of design inspiration.
At this time, the old woman took out a long and narrow wooden box and said in broken Chinese: "This is for you, Jiao Ayi!"
Wen Xinya quickly refused: "Mother-in-law, how can this be possible? You have helped me a lot these days, how can I accept your gift again!"
Wen Xinya expressed her refusal in Chinese while gesturing.
But the mother-in-law did not accept it and looked at her with a firm gaze.
Wen Xinya was at a loss for a moment and looked to Si Yiyan not far away for help.
Si Yiyan came over with a smile, patted her hand and said soothingly: "Open the box first and see what's inside."
Wen Xinya hesitated for a moment, but still obeyed his words and gently opened the wooden box. A silver hairpin about one foot long lay quietly in the wooden box.
The long hairpin is very exquisitely made, with delicate and beautiful black patterns engraved on the body. There are five hollow bats on the head of the hairpin, with exquisite and complex shapes surrounding a silver disc engraved with auspicious clouds and auspicious beasts, and silver tassels with exquisite patterns hanging below, which is extremely beautiful.
Wen Xinya stared at the hairpin in the box and exclaimed: "It's so beautiful!"
Si Yiyan explained to her: "This is a long hairpin with five blessings (bats), which is often given by elders to younger generations as a gift with a blessing in mind. I cannot refuse it."
After saying that, she took off the ivory hairpin behind her head and tied the long hairpin into her hair. The pure and simple silver long hairpin behind her head had a simple and natural charm.
Wen Xinya only then realized that this long hairpin had such a metaphor. She did not dare to refuse and bowed sincerely to thank her: "Thank you for your kindness, mother-in-law."
The mother-in-law saw everything, a smile broke out on her face full of chrysanthemum patterns, and she spoke a long string of Miao words to Wen Xinya, which she could not understand.
Wen Xinya looked at Si Yiyan for help.
In fact, she didn’t know whether Si Yiyan could understand Miao language, but whenever he was around, she would habitually rely on him.
He felt that there was nothing in the world that could stump him.
Si Yiyan translated for her: "The first is longevity, which means not dying young and having a long life; the second is wealth and honor, which means being rich and having a noble status; the third is health and peace, which means being healthy and having peace of mind; the fourth is virtue, which means being kind and following nature; the fifth is a good death, which means leaving the world peacefully and decorating the end with courtesy."
Five bats represent five blessings!
It is the highest blessing etiquette in Country Z.
Wen Xinya was so touched that she didn't know what to say for a moment.
The old woman smiled and added in broken Chinese: "Bless you, Jiao Ayi!"
Wen Xinya quickly returned the gift.
Si Yiyan thanked her sincerely in Miao language.
After saying goodbye to her mother-in-law, Wen Xinya still felt touched.
Si Yiyan said: "The Miao people believe that all things have spirits and worship nature, so the patterns on their jewelry are mostly natural things such as phoenixes, butterflies, flowers, plants, bats, etc. The styles are diverse, the changes are novel, and each has its own meaning, so it has formed a very unique and rich decorative culture."
Wen Xinya suddenly had an idea in her mind, and she murmured, "All things have spirits, worship nature... nature, nature..."
Si Yiyan's words made the vague inspiration in her heart gradually become clear, which inspired her and opened up another design path close to nature for her.
Si Yiyan smiled, looking at the woman in front of him who was wearing traditional Miao clothing. She had taken off her bright clothes and the halo around her. She was as simple and natural as a young girl, full of youthful vigor and vitality. This was the power of nature.
With the spiritual contract, Wen Xinya was full of spiritual energy. She held Si Yiyan's hand and said admiringly: "Yan, you can even speak the Miao language. When did you learn it? You are so amazing."
She was amazed that Si Yiyan could speak Miao language. She felt that this man was indeed omnipotent and her heart was filled with admiration and pride.
Si Yiyan said calmly: "Well, I just learned it a few days ago. I only know some common conversations."
Although the languages of ethnic minorities are obscure, they are actually quite easy to learn.
Because Xinya was very interested in the jewelry culture of the Miao ethnic group, he studied hard to facilitate communication, but it was just ordinary communication.
Wen Xinya's eyes suddenly widened, with some disbelief, some admiration, and some frustration: "Tell me honestly, are you God's illegitimate child?"
Just learned it a few days ago!
Note that the key point is a few days, not a dozen days, not a few months, not a few years! It’s a few days!
In just a few days, he was able to learn to speak and communicate in the Miao language. What kind of language talent is this? How can people who are born poor at learning languages survive
Si Yiyan rubbed her hair: "If you want to learn, I'll teach you when I go back tonight, but..." He leaned close to her ear and said softly in his unique low voice: "You have to pay the tuition first!"
He deliberately pronounced the word "tuition" in a clear and round tone, which was quite meaningful.
Wen Xinya glared at him angrily: "You dirty pervert."
It's been so many years, but he still loves to play this kind of sex game, and he doesn't even get tired of it!
Over the years, she had no idea how much debt she had accumulated. She had been trying hard to pay it off, but the speed at which she paid it off was far slower than the speed at which she incurred debt. Before she had paid off the old debts, she had to take on new debts, and this cycle continued over and over again. As the saying goes, the more debts you have, the less worries you have. Wen Xinya had already become as calm as before, but someone was still enjoying it.
Si Yiyan laughed out loud.
Wen Xinya thought of another question and asked, "What does Jiao Ayi mean in Miao language?"
Most people in the Miao village can speak simple Chinese, so although communication is a little inconvenient, there is basically no problem. In the past two days, she often heard the mother-in-law calling her Jiao Ayi, and she always forgot to ask Si Yiyan what this meant.
Si Yiyan explained: "The Miao people use this compliment to refer to beautiful, kind, and intelligent girls."