In mid-December last year, a friend and I embarked on an early morning journey with anticipation for the Xiaoshuijing Farmers' Choir in Yunnan Province, taking multiple modes of transportation to travel thousands of miles to this Miao village for their Christmas celebration.
The driver who took us lived near Xiaoshuijing village. During the journey, he shared that transportation in the area was once very difficult. However, as the Xiaoshuijing Farmers' Choir gained recognition, the local government designated the area as an "ethnic cultural village," greatly improving the village's infrastructure.
It is known that Xiaoshuijing Village is the largest Miao village in Kunming City, with over 450 residents, all of whom are Miao. In 1937, Australian missionary Arthur G. Nicholls brought the gospel to the village, establishing a local church and a choir. Many elderly residents learned polyphonic choral singing back then, passing it down through generations. Today, approximately 80% of the village's Miao population are Christians, who have learned to sing hymns since childhood.
In 1982, following the resumption of church gatherings, 63 devout Miao Christians formed the Xiaoshuijing Farmers' Choir. Despite lacking a professional conductor or vocal teacher, the choir gained international recognition for its distinctive four-part singing style due to the members' pursuit of faith and persistent practice during both the busy and off-farming seasons. During the 2018 Spring Festival, the choir was invited to a 16-day tour, staging Chinese New Year concerts in both the U.S. and the U.K.
On the village square, the building on the left is known as the "Miao Farmers' Choir Stage," which includes a kitchen. After the meals are prepared, everyone gathers in the open space in front of the building to eat. Opposite is the church and office building, with the village's ethnic culture office on the right.
On the other side of the square is the main venue for the Christmas celebrations. Benches have been laid out, and a stage has been set up. At the center of the area, "Merry Christmas" in large letters captured attention.
Pastor Long, who has served in the village for many years, told us that the Christmas celebration included two events. The first was on Saturday night for Christmas Eve, when the congregation gathered to celebrate together. The second event began at noon the next day for Christmas thanksgiving worship, with nearby churches invited to celebrate together. Due to the cold weather, the evening activities were originally held in the church. However, the church has been deemed an unsafe building requiring reconstruction since May of two years ago. As a result, for two consecutive years, the Christmas Eve activities have been held outdoors in the square.
The square has long been the village's activity center, hosting major events such as weddings and funerals. The annual Christmas celebration is the village's most important festival. Even those who don't usually attend gatherings will come to help during this time.
At 7 p.m., the Christmas Eve celebration started, with everyone sitting around a charcoal fire, waiting for the show to begin.
The night in the village was calm and serene. As the song "Holy Night" filled the air, believers walked slowly from both sides toward the front of the stage, holding candles in their hands. Under a beam of light, Joseph and Mary sat on the steps, holding the baby Jesus, while four shepherds followed the guidance of the Star of Bethlehem to come and see him.
Then, various voices and groups took turns performing hymns to praise the arrival of Jesus, the Savior. Despite their simple appearance, believers of all ages, old, middle-aged, and young, presented the sound of nature as they sang. Against the backdrop of the night and the charcoal fire, the experience stirred the audience's souls.
Additionally, a skit in the Miao language, "The Prodigal Son Returns," was performed, featuring an elderly brother reciting Scripture.
As the event concluded, we were moved by the singing of the performing believers. Pastor Long humbly shared that there are multiple Miao congregations in Fumin County, with nearly every church having its own choir. He noted that the level of many of these choirs surpasses that of Xiaoshuijing's. In his view, it’s God’s grace that Xiaoshuijing's choir took the stage with wide recognition.
The next morning, around 11 o'clock, when we arrived at the square for lunch, the atmosphere was already lively and festive. Congregants, dressed in their distinctive ethnic costumes, lined up to welcome the guests. The square was filled with people, and a small market was set up on the opposite side.
More chairs were set up, as it was said that 17 churches would come together to celebrate Christmas. This is a local tradition, when each church celebrates Christmas at different times, then invites others to join in the festivities. The year before last, Christmas celebrations began in October, with two churches celebrating each week among more than 40 churches across the county.
The Christmas thanksgiving gathering began with the host announcing the event in both Chinese and Miao languages. The first part of the program was the annual Christmas thanksgiving offering, with everyone taking turns to present their contributions. This was followed by performances from various churches, including dances and mostly choir singing. The music was mainly accompanied by the accordion, with some performances featuring an electronic keyboard.
After dinner, since one congregation could only attend in the evening, another celebration was arranged for that night, with rice noodles as a midnight snack for everyone.
The following morning, as Pastor Long saw us off and we passed through the square, we noticed that the fence around the square had been removed.
Over the years, Pastor Long has received visitors from across the country who came for the renowned Xiaoshuijing Farmers' Choir. Pastors throughout China are also deeply concerned about the development of Miao churches. He mentioned that very few people leave Xiaoshuijing Village, with most young people choosing to stay. However, in recent years, secularization has impacted the youth, with some unwilling to attend church. Despite the choir's visitation efforts, the effect has been minor. Even those who attend the gatherings are not as fervent; they are "more influenced by mobile phones."
Objectively, Xiaoshuijing's congregation still has young people. The staff responsible for photography, video, and sound at this event consisted mostly of young believers, some of whom have studied theology. I spoke with a Gen Z seminarian, who shared his concerns after graduating from theology. He explained that his family's financial situation was not comfortable, and if he returned to the village to serve, he would receive no salary, leaving him confused.
When discussing this issue with Pastor Long, he explained that the Miao congregation has always been a voluntary service. He is the fourth generation of Christians in his family, with his father serving as an elder. In the past, a pastor from Beijing had offered to help the congregation establish a salary system, but due to the inherent concept that "if the elders didn't take a salary, is it appropriate for the young to do so?" this system has never been set up. The locals primarily make a living through farming and mushroom picking in the summer. "It means the work in the fields will be slower than in other families, as there is a lot to manage in the church." As for when the local church might be able to establish a salary system, it may still be a long journey.
The Christmas celebration concluded, and Pastor Long would like to focus more on church construction and pastoral work. The church needs to be rebuilt, the villagers' faith needs to be restored, and the choir requires more professional instrument training. There is much work ahead.
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
