In the hills of southeast Yunnan, about 30 kilometers south of Wenshan (文山), and not too far from the border with Vietnam, sits the village of Xiao Hengtang (小横塘). It is a small place with a population of no more than 300 people. Almost all of the residents are from the Miao minority (苗族) — more commonly known outside of China as the Hmong.

Each year, as Spring Festival approaches, this small town turns out to celebrate Flower Mountain Festival (花山节). The holiday is not observed in the home, at temples or in a public square. Instead, the people of Xiao Hengtang gather in a mountain pasture.

This year the skies were wonderfully cloudless and the weather brisk but comfortable. Children played o