Guizhou's mountains, wetlands, and grasslands serve as vital ecological barriers in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, while also preserving the ecological wisdom of harmony between humans and nature. Advancing high-quality forestry work, Guizhou has integrated humanistic forestry across dimensions like "beautiful forestry, ecological forestry, rule-of-law forestry, enriching forestry, and peaceful forestry," adding cultural depth and public warmth to forestry efforts, ensuring every patch of green has a soul and an emotional connection.

The mountains hold charm, and humanity shapes the soul. From today onward, the Guizhou Provincial Forestry Bureau, in collaboration with Rural Geography magazine, launches an in-depth documentary series on Guizhou's "Humanistic Forestry." Through 16 articles across four sections—"Roots," "Guardianship," "Benefits," and "Integration"—it presents the green foundation and cultural essence of Guizhou's forestry. The first article, Miao People's Protective Forest: A Life Contract Between a Tree and a Village, unveils a generational guardianship pact between forests and communities.

Upon entering a Miao village in Guizhou, the first sight is often the towering ancient trees at the village entrance. Revered as "village-protecting trees," they symbolize safety and prosperity. Miao people believe these trees have spirits that ensure favorable weather, so they are collectively protected by the entire village. Village elders lead ceremonies under the trees to pray for blessings, a tradition passed down through generations.

In Miao villages like Basha in Congjiang County, Wendou in Jinping County, and Getou in Leishan County, the simple belief of "worshipping ancient trees and guarding green mountains" has been internalized as a ethnic belief and behavioral code, leaving behind precious ecological cultural treasures for future generations.

Wendou Miao Village: The Contract Spirit of the Six-Prohibition Stele and Cultural Tourism Foundation

Perched by the Qingshui River, Wendou Miao Village in Jinping County is rightfully hailed as the "First Village of Environmental Protection for a Century." By the village gate stands a "Six-Prohibition Stele," carved in the 38th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1773 AD), with inscriptions still legible. It reads: "No cutting or peeling of fir trees, regardless of distance, as they are our livelihood; violators fined ten taels of silver. Village steps that collapse must be repaired by the respective families; non-compliance fined five taels for collective repairs... On the oil mountain, no unauthorized cutting or gathering; violators fined five taels." Another ancient stele, erected over a decade later, bears the words: "This timber is reserved and must not be cut by future generations, to adorn the landscape." Over 250 years ago, Wendou's ancestors already possessed such clear environmental and forest protection awareness.

Walking through the village, one encounters millennium-old ginkgo trees, yew trees, and golden nanmu trees, with over 600 ancient trees covering more than 30 rare species. The Jiang Family Genealogy from the Qianlong period records that as early as the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, Wendou Miao Village had "opened terraces, built fields, and planted fir trees," marking the earliest record of artificial afforestation among ethnic minorities in southeastern Guizhou. By distinguishing which trees could be harvested and traded moderately and which needed meticulous care for generations, Wendou has maintained ecological balance while supporting its own needs and timber commerce.

This generational ecological heritage extends beyond ancient steles—Wendou people plant a "life tree" at a child's birth, a "sworn brother tree" when forming brotherhoods, and a "couple tree" after marriage. The village has also established a "Greening Fund" to encourage planting rare species and restoring living environments. Today, Wendou's ancient ecological wisdom is organically integrated into rural landscape enhancement and cultural tourism projects: centered on its rare ancient tree clusters and centuries-old contract culture, it steadily advances traditional village protection and specialty tourism. Visitors can view the original "Six-Prohibition Stele," adopt ancient trees, and participate in traditional forestry activities, transforming the protective forest tradition into a green engine for rural revitalization.

Basha Miao Village: Life Rituals of Human-Tree Unity and Ecological Tourism Cycle

While Wendou uses stone inscriptions to carve out forest protection resolve, Basha Miao Village in Congjiang County binds its fate tightly to trees. Renowned cultural scholar Yu Qiuyu once wrote "I Was Originally a Tree" here. The life contract between Basha people and trees is profound: at a boy's birth, his family plants a "life tree," which accompanies him from youth to maturity. At life's end, this tree becomes his coffin, buried with him, and a new evergreen tree is planted on the grave, leaving no tombstone or mound. "Nourished by trees in life, buried by trees in death," Basha people achieve eternal fusion between life and forest through this belief in human-tree unity.

This sacred and institutionalized protection of trees, through cultural taboos and community norms, internalizes natural resource conservation as daily behavior. Basha men patrol the forests with guns, measuring every inch of vegetation—not just a cultural symbol but a vivid practice of translating ancient ecological wisdom into human settlement improvement. Basha's unique "tree burial culture" and concept of simple funerals contrast with lavish burials, guarding green waters and mountains while offering valuable examples for rural customs reform and beautiful ecology construction.

In cultural tourism, Basha's distinct tree burial rituals, life tree worship, and gun-carrying culture create a unique ecological tourism experience loop. Visitors can observe sickle haircuts, listen to lusheng ceremonies honoring ancient trees, and personally feel the ancient belief of "I am the tree, the tree is me," forming deep cultural experiences distinct from other villages, boosting local tourism employment and traditional skill preservation.

Getou Miao Village: Guardian of the Millennium Taiwania Tree and Ecological Study Practices

Nestled in the core area of the Leigongshan National Nature Reserve, Getou Miao Village in Leishan County sits quietly, with a millennium-old Taiwania king tree standing majestically at the village entrance. Over 40 meters tall with a trunk requiring eight adults to encircle, it serves as Getou's protective tree. The village houses over 3,500 Taiwania trees, including more than 200 millennium-old ones, making it the largest and most intact remaining Taiwania forest in China, earning the title "Home of Taiwania." Taiwania is a national second-level protected plant, known as a "living fossil" in forests.

Following ancestral teachings, Getou people have carved a stone stele at the village entrance stating: "Taiwania protects our ancestors' peace and good fortune. It is the sacred tree safeguarding Getou people. Protecting Taiwania is an ancient precept; no one may cut or damage the Taiwania in our area under any pretext." This traditional customary law ensures effective implementation of forest protection agreements. Today, Getou leverages its ancient forest management traditions to actively promote key forestry projects and afforestation, fully integrating the ecological wisdom of protective forests into rural landscape enhancement and human settlement improvement. In 2018, Getou won the "China's Most Beautiful Village: Ecological Livability Award" and was designated as a key rural tourism demonstration village in Guizhou.

With the millennium Taiwania king as a landmark, Getou orderly develops ecological sightseeing and study projects based on afforestation and ecological protection. Visitors can hike through ancient Taiwania forests, participate in "Yilang" cultural explanations and ancient tree adoption experiences, gaining insights into how Miao traditional ecological laws connect with modern nature protection systems. These ancient protective trees thrive in the new era of rural development, with traditional wisdom and rural revitalization integration practices writing a vivid answer of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in the beautiful landscapes of Guizhou.