We’ve all probably heard the saying “You live by the gun, die by the gun.” Well the people that live in the village of Biasha located in the Guizhou Province of China might take the saying to an entirely different level. The villagers have firearms deeply rooted in their culture. As some of you might know, gunpowder was invented in China, and for something that was invented in the country, you would think guns would be readily available, but that’s not the case. The reason being is that the citizens of China are prohibited from owning firearms.
The exception to the rule is the men of Biasha who, by law, are allowed to carry and use guns as it’s a part of their cultural tradition. As anthropologist Louisa Schein states, “Minority groups have long been granted exceptions to laws that govern the rest of China.” Because of this, the village people are able to make money as they perform certain rituals for tourists that come to visit and learn about their culture, most notably guns. For more on China’s last gunslingers head on over to National Geographic here.
Photos by Jason Lee [Via National Geographic]
