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Headwear is the most intricate accessory of China's ethnic minorities. This photo shows a silver headpiece worn by the Miao people. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

An exhibition showcasing the silver jewelry of ethnic minorities in South China began at the Jiaxing Museum in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, on March 13 and will run until May 9, local media reported.

The exhibition is being jointly held by the Jiaxing Museum and the Guilin Museum in Guilin, capital city of South China's Guangxi province.

Many of China's ethnic minorities inhabit the country's southern regions, including the Miao, Dong, Yao, Shui, Buyi, and Mulao peoples. To make it easier to transfer property in war-prone South China in ancient times, ethnic minorities transformed silver into jewelry to wear. They also carved their own totems on silver jewelry to ward off evil spirits and pray for safety.

As a result of this history, ethnic minorities in South China love wearing silver jewelry. Generally speaking, young girls wear more silver jewelry than middle-aged and elderly women, while unmarried women wear more silver jewelry than married ones.

Some ethnic minorities even use silver jewelry to indicate whether a girl is married or not. For example, unmarried Miao women wear silver earrings.

At festivals and wedding ceremonies, ethnic women usually wear more than 30 pieces of silver jewelry weighing over 10 kilograms.

A silver necklace worn by the Yao people during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). [Photo/cnjxol.com]

A silver necklace worn by the Yao people during the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

Silver bracelets made mostly in the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

Silver earrings worn by Dong people in the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

A silver longevity lock, which is usually part of a silver necklace. [Photo/cnjxol.com]