The term 'town' does not completely describe Xijiang. It is comprised of 13 village units. Eight of these are clustered together sprawling up the steep slopes of a river ravine constituting a single community with a total population of about 4,500. This atypically large settlement has earned the nickname "Qianjia Miaozhai" or "Miao Village of a Thousand Households." The eight natural villages that comprise the main Xijiang community are each constituted of three or four major clans or surname groups. Although they may not have any known blood relations, all surnames within a natural village are considered kin, and each village practices strict exogamy.
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