LONGJIA, CHINA (AFP) - Girls with large headpieces made from the hair of their ancestors, and wearing intricately patterned dresses, danced in isolated villages in south-west China to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Against a stunning mountain backdrop, dozens of girls and women of the Long Horn Miao ethnicity performed for the annual flower festival or "Tiaohuajie", held in Guizhou province last Thursday (Feb 14).

Onlookers watched - smartphones in hand - as the women swirled across a meadow, wearing dresses and jackets embroidered with pink roses and geometric patterns.

But it was the towering black headdresses of the dancers that really stood out - made from wool, string and the hair of their ancestors, and wrapped around animal horns with white fabric.

"It's really special to be at the centre of attention like this. I feel quite proud," said Ms Yang Yunzheng, 16.

"We organise this festival once a year when we wear these headpieces. That doesn't change with modernisation."

The Miao ethnic minority is made up of some nine million people, mostly found in China's south-west.

Of those, around 5,000 Long Horn Miao live in just a dozen isolated villages in Guizhou.

Their headpieces are passed down through generations and worn on a number of occasions to honour their ancestors and preserve their traditions.

The festival is held on the 10th day of the Chinese New Year.