Most of the Miao people live in mountainous areas with steep hills, so it is extremely difficult to build normal houses. In addition, the weather is rainy and wet and foggy, so the ground floor of brick houses would be very heavy, making it not suitable for living. Therefore, the Miao people have learned to build a dry wooden building with good ventilation, which is called "the Hanging houses."

The Miao hanging houses are usually built on slopes and are divided into two or three floors. The top floor is very short, and it is only used to store food. The lower part of the building would be used to raise livestocks. People would live in the middle part of the building.

Generally, bamboo and mud are often used to make the wall. The roof is often covered with grass.