Dong Village

Dong Village
Zhaoxing is an old Dong village deeply hidden in the dense mountains. The ancient wooden architecture, century-old practices, the hospitable locals and the fertile terraced fields offer a welcome contrast to joyless, cemented modern cities.

Zhaoxing has been included in the Guinness Book of World Records for its pure ethnic culture. The village is clustered with wooden structures; culminating at the drum towers, the flower bridges and its theater stages.

Where is the Dong Village?
72 km (48 miles) south of the county town of Liping, the village is seated in a valley surrounded by green mountains. The Zhaoxing River flows through the village.

What is the Special Features Dong Village?
Zhaoxing is the largest Dong ethnic community in China with 5 drum towers, and more than 800 households. The town has been little touched by modernization, and its villagers live in their old timber-made houses, wear their traditional clothes and still practice their time-honored traditions. A trip to Zhaoxing will offer a brief taste of this fascinating and isolated Dong community.

What does festivals and dances means in Dong Village?
Zhaoxing Village is also the starting place of many Dong festivals and dances. The important Dong festivals include Dong New Year, the New Harvest Festival and Sama Festival. There are many kinds of Dong songs and dances, among which the Great Song (Dage in Chinese) is the best known. Zhaoxing is also the place where Dong people gather to perform Dong drama every year.

The Hotels & Food in Dong Village
The best hotel in town is the Zhaoxing Hotel. The food options are quite limited in this region and western cuisine is practically non-existent. It would be advisable to carry snacks for energy while walking around.

The Attractions we can see in Dong Village
Drum Towers: The Drum Tower is the symbol of the Dong minority people. There are five Drum Towers in Zhaoxing Village. They were designed by local amateur architects. The whole complex is supported by timbers, no nails or rivets are used at all in the construction. The fact that all drum tower floors are odd-numbered is derived from the tradition in Dong numerology that odd numbers are associated with good fortune and happiness.

Theater Stages: Theater stages are supplementary elements to the drum tower. A theater stage will be found wherever there is a drum tower. One can occasionally encounter colorful local shows performed at these theater stages during important local events.

Zhaoxing River: The Zhaoxing River runs through the village and divides it into two sides. The water in the river is quite shallow and remarkably clear, with the rocks at the bottom clearly visible. Over centuries, the river has had a nurturing effect on the remarkable local culture. The locals can still be seen daily, clustered beside the river washing their rice, vegetables, and even their clothes.