iv SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I' 



with the singer or with the person who collected the songs to make sure that the 

 were as nearly correct as possible. Finally, often with the help of my wife, , 

 worked over the translations in order to improve the English without changing 

 the meaning. I 



In all, I collected 752 songs, legends, historical and etiological traditions, anj 

 short stories, but not all these could be included in this volume. In the romanizii 

 tion of Chinese words the Wade system has been used, while the Miao words ao 

 phrases are generally in the international script. 



One difficulty in pursuing my researches was the robbers, who might appear i 

 any place at any time. The Ch'uan Miao region is very mountainous and abounc, 

 in forests, natural caves, and rock shelters. These make it easy for brigands an 

 thieves to conceal themselves along the roads and to escape after a robbery. Man 

 times I was prevented by the officials from taking a proposed trip because of th 

 presence of bands of robbers. I have had numerous narrow escapes. 



At first the Ch'uan Miao were very reluctant to give information about thei; 

 beliefs and customs. They often told me that previously they had rarely giveij 

 such information to Chinese or Westerners and that when they were asked theij 

 gave evasive answers. But during the years of contact with these people, a verj 

 warm friendship grew up between us, and they became very cooperative ano 

 helpful. Without their assistance it would have been impossible to carry on th 

 study of their language and customs. They gave me the name of Na K'wa Dai Lc 

 or great and kindly teacher, and they always welcomed me to their homes. Sev 

 eral times they met me with bugles and banners, later giving banquets to shov 

 their friendly welcome. They permitted me to take pictures freely, gave me th( 

 information I wanted, and helped me collect stories and songs and learn thei 

 language. Some of them sold to me, for the West China Union University 

 Museum, beautiful embroidered garments that were heirlooms. I am sincerely 

 and deeply grateful to my Ch'uan Miao friends for their assistance. 



In 1934 I obtained the help of Hsiung Ch'ao Sung, who could read and writ( 

 Chinese and who had traveled widely in the Ch'uan Miao region. He gave m( 

 much valuable assistance in studying the language and customs, and it was througl 

 him that I collected most of the stories and songs. Yang Ch'ing Ming came t( 

 Chengtu to attend the Goucher Junior Middle School, and during his stay ii 

 Chengtu he rendered valuable help in my studies. 



Lin Min Chun, formerly assistant curator of the West China Union University 

 Museum of Archaeology, Art, and Ethnology, helped me translate Ch'uan Miac 

 words and phrases into EngHsh and into Chinese, and further assisted by searching 

 Chinese histories for references to the Ch'uan Miao. Similar aid was renderec 

 by Dr. Cheng Teh K'un, my successor as curator of the museum. Dr. Serg( 

 Elisseeff, of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, and Prof. Jesse Moncrieff, who wa 

 president of the Union Language School at Chengtu, aided me in clarifying th( 

 Ch'uan Miao sounds and taking them down in the international script. My wife 

 Alicia Morey Graham, spent a great deal of time correcting the notes and typing 

 the stories and songs. 



