Cosmos

The Yao has been a difficult culture to get all the right information for all parts of my blog. For this page I was not able to figure out what the Yao think about the world around them, however I did find some taboos and things that Yao do that I found very interesting.

The Yao have always considered etiquette to be very important to them. When people meet each other while on the way somewhere they must say hello otherwise it is considered impolite. It is also improper for people to wash their hands and feet in the same basin. Some other taboos are while having dinner it is not allowed to use another persons chopsticks or bowls, and clothes cannot be dried in front of gates after being washed. As in most places around the world the spitting is forbidden indoors. When a Yao family has a guest, that guest must great the hostess or the guest is considered arrogant and impolite.  

The Yao have a very high respect for the older and elderly people. When meeting an elderly person outside it is necessary to say hello and retreat to the lower part of the road for them to pass. If this occasion occurs while riding a horse one must dismount if an elderly person is met. It is also not allowed to sit cross-legged, speak dirty words, or even use their names while in front of the old and elderly. When having dinner with the old and elderly one should offer them a higher seat, serve them food and put the most delicious dishes closest to the senior guests.

Interestingly on January first all the Yao women stay home instead of visiting family and do not eat green vegetables and some of the Yao women even place a tree branch on front of their house gate. Then all the families will stay home on January 3rd, 5th and 6th.

For the Yao the fire pit is the most important part of the family. The tripod on the fire pit cannot be stepped on and the firewood or straws cannot be burned with the back or end first.