Li Xing Zhou and his wife spend half their time in Beijing selling his silver items while spending the rest of their time in the traditional silversmithing village of Komba, Taijiang County in SE Guizhou Province. Like the other male members of his family, he learned from his father at an early age and continues to make traditional silver items while continuing to grow and cultivate rice so his family will not lose their rights to maintain an assignment of farmland from the government.

The Miao in particular consider silver jewelry a statement of a family’s worth and a daughter’s worthiness.