The Miao’s pleated skirts can be divided into three kinds according to the length: long, mid-length and short skirts.
The depths of the southeastern Guizhou Province mountains are inhabited as the ‘Short-skirt’ Miao. They number 50,000 to 60,000. Some live in Langdong and Kongshen villages of Rongjiang County, while others may be found living in the Datang area of Leishan County. Qingman Short-skirt Miao Village is one of the most typical short-skirt Miao villages near Kaili. Their clothing is distinct and colorful for both casual and holiday wear, which consists of a tunic top decorated with silver ornaments and gorgeously hand-embroidered designs of the dragon, phoenix, fish, bird, and beast, and a hand-knitted skirt no more than 20 centimeters long. This whole costume constitutes an important facet of local folkways.