Zhaoxing Dong Village

Zhaoxing Dong Village, located in Liping County, southeast of Guizhou Province, is one of the largest Dong Villages in Qiandongnan area in Guizhou. Walking into Zhaoxing Dong Village, one will feel as though the clock is being turned back. All the buildings in the village are wooden-stilt houses. This is a picturesque village noted for the beautiful natural sights and unique ethnic flavor. It is surrounded by verdant mountains with a crystal stream running through.

 

Panorama of Zhaoxing Dong Village

Archway in the Village

The drum tower, being built of wood, is the distinguishing mark of a Dong village, that is to say, every Dong village has its own drum tower, and Zhaoxing is no exception. The tower represents luck and prosperity. In Zhaoxing Dong Village, there are five drum towers, which are known far and wide for their unique styles. Each of them has a particular name and virtue.  These are Ren (benevolence), Yi (righteousness), Li (courtesy), Zhi (wisdom) and Xin (faithfulness). They differ in method of construction, external appearance, height and size. Among the five towers, the Zhi Tower is the most beautiful. The drum tower is the place where Dong People gather for meeting and entertainment and there is even a place for sacrifices during January of Chinese lunar calendar.

As supporting facilities to the drum tower, flower bridges and stages are constructed for local people’s amusement. In general, one flower bridge and a stage are built with one tower. Corridors are built on the bridge. The creative Dong People built these corridors which provide benches for passers-by to have a rest or run for shelter. It is astonishing that there is not a single nail on the whole bridge. With firm mortise and tenon joints, the bridge is strong enough to withstand the region's strong winds and rains. The appearance of the stage is similar to a wooden-stilted houses and it is a place using for playing Dong opera.
 

Drum Tower of the Dong Style

Local Residences Made of Wood

In Zhaoxing Dong Village, everything is simple and far removed from the influence of modern city life. Only the murmur of the little brooks, the happy songs of Dong People and the rhythmic beating of the rods for laundry will provide the occasional sounds of daily life. The verdant mountains, simple but elegant houses and the smiling faces of Dong People will greet you and complete this natural feast for your senses.

If someone wants to escape noisy city life and would like to experience a special rural life, the Dong village is the best choice, and people can choose to stay there for several days. Many home-stay hostels can be found there and among them Zhaoxing Hotel is a good one. The price for its standard room is around CNY200. Other home-stay hostels include standard rooms as well as dormitories. For a dormitory without washroom, the price for a bed is around CNY 15 to CNY 20 per person per night. The standard rooms have prices around CNY50 to CNY60. Lulu Home Stay, being a hostel, is a unique living place.

 From Congjiang County:
First, take a high speed train for Congjiang from Guiyang, Guangzhou, or Guilin. Upon arrival, take a public bus to Zhaoxing at the fare of CNY 2. This is the most convenient way to get to Zhaoxing.

 From Liping County:
Liping County is connected by flights with Shanghai, Guangzhou, Guilin and Guiyang. From Guiyang, one can even find direct buses to Liping. The bus journey takes about nine to ten hours. From Liping, there are frequent buses for Zhaoxing from 7:20 to 16:45 and the interval is around 1 to 1.5 hours. It takes about 45 minutes from Liping to Zhaoxing and the ticket fare is CNY 22.

Admission Fee	CNY 100 Half price for children between 3.9 and 4.6 feet (1.2 and 1.4m). Free for children under 3.9 feet.
Battery Car	CNY 10
Opening Hours	All day

Local Market

Traveling there during the local traditional festival is fantastic. Lusheng Festival, held on August 13 to 15 of Chinese lunar calendar in odd-numbered years, is a good time to stay in Zhaoxing Dong Village.

The mountain where Zhaoxing Middle School lies is a good place to enjoy a panorama of the whole village.

Bonfires and smoking need to be avoided during your trip there. All the local buildings and constructions are made of wood, so one careless act may lead to a disaster for the local people.

People who visit there need to pay heed to the local customs. You have to get permission from local people if you want to climb the drum tower. When you see a rope tied at the gate of the village, it means that the local people are holding a sacrifice ceremony and permission is still needed to enter the village.

In Zhaoxing Town, another six Dong villages and a mountain called Sasui Mountain besides the Zhaoxing Dong Village are worth seeing if time is available. One of them, Tangan Dong Village, lying 7km to the east of Zhaoxing, owns the only Dong People Eco-museum. Their terrace is another highlight of that village.

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