Dong Villages

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With a population of nearly 3 million people, the Dong ethnic minority is one of many thriving, culturally diverse communities found in China. The greatest concentration of Dong people live in Guizhou province, in the southeast of China. There are many Dong villages in Liping, Rongjiang and Congjiang County that have survived for hundreds of years and the locals in these villages have enjoyed a lifestyle that has remained largely unchanged since the villages were established. Dong villages characteristically have wooden houses supported by stilts. The Dong ethnic minority is famed in particular for its Wind-Rain bridges, Drum Towers and rich history of folk singing. In every Dong village, there will be at least one Drum Tower, one Wind-Rain Bridge and one Kam Grand Choir.

When visiting any of these regions, you need to ask for permission before you enter any of the Dong villages, out of respect for their local customs. If you notice a thatch design or a rope hanging from the village gate, this means a religious festival is taking place and normally only residents will be allowed admittance into the village. There are numerous Dong villages in Guizhou, such as Sanbao village and Yintan village, which all have their own unique properties and customs. To give you a better idea of what life in a Dong village is like, we’ve dedicated two articles to the villages of Zhaoxing and Xiaohuang, which are both different but magnificent in their own way.

No matter where you go in Guizhou, you’re bound to encounter some aspect of the vibrant and fascinating Dong culture. Xiaohuang and Zhaoxing are just two examples of a rich treasure trove of villages that are just waiting to be discovered in the lush, mountainous countryside of Guizhou. Whether you want to revel in the haunting melodies of the Kam Grand Choirs or bask in the shade of a colossal Drum Tower, southeast Guizhou is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the life of the Dong people.

 

Discover more about Dong Culture in Dong villages on our travel: Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Guizhou Province

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Guizhou is the perfect place to avoid the tourist crowds and enjoy your own little slice of rural China. With its temperate climate, beautiful scenic spots and variety of ethnic groups, Guizhou is one of the most culturally and environmentally diverse provinces in China. It is a mountainous province and is home to several species of animal, like the Kuankuoshui salamander, that are found nowhere else in the world. Although it is currently one of the poorer provinces in the country, its tourism industry is gradually growing and beginning to flourish.

Guizhou can be abbreviated to simply “Qian” . The word “gui” in Chinese means “precious” so the name “Guizhou” literally means “precious prefecture”. It was so-called for its valuable natural resources, including an abundance of precious minerals such as coal, mercury and gold. Guizhou province is in southwest China and shares its borders with Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Hunan. Guiyang is its provincial capital but other major cities in Guizhou include Anshun, Kaili, and Zunyi.

It’s a predominantly mountainous province, although the eastern and southern regions are relatively flat and the western region forms part of the stunning Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, which is famed for its biodiversity. The climate in Guizhou is subtropical and humid, meaning it benefits from mild winters and comfortable summers, although the province is frequently plagued by heavy monsoons. The average temperature is roughly 10 to 20 °C, with lows of around 1 °C in January and highs of around 28 °C in July.

guizhou locationGuizhou is second only to Yunnan Province in terms of its ethnic diversity and is home to 48 of the Chinese ethnic minority groups, including Miao, Yao, Dong, Bouyei, Tujia, and Gelao people. These ethnic minorities make up over 37% of the population in Guizhou and 55% of the province has been designated as an autonomous region for these ethnic minorities. The Miao village of Basha is home to the only community in China that is still allowed to own guns. The Bouyei villages are renowned for their stone houses, which are intricately arranged and use no other materials or cement to hold them together. The Dong villages boast the stunning Wind-Rain Bridges and Drum Towers that have become synonymous with their culture.

In short, each village in Guizhou has its own history, culture and customs that is unique to its resident ethnic minority. If you travel during the special festival times in Guizhou, you’ll also be treated to local performances and special local foods. On top of all these culturally enriched attractions, Guizhou is also full of beautiful, natural scenic spots, like the Huangguoshu Waterfall and the Dragon Palace Cave. If you’re feeling brave, you may even want to try the locally produced Maotai liquor, China’s most famous national liquor. If you want to know more about China’s myriad of ethnic minorities and experience their culture first-hand, then Guizhou is the perfect place for you.

 

 

Discover the various culture of Ethnic Minorities in Guizhou on the travel:  Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Miao Ethnic Minority

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The Miao are one of the 55 ethnic minority groups found in China and it is estimated that over 9 million Miao people live in China today. Yet the term “Miao” can sometimes be a little misleading as it actually encompasses a number of ethnic groups that are only loosely related by language. Although their languages all come from the Miao-Yao language family, their dialects are often mutually unintelligible and their customs can be vastly different. Roughly speaking, within the Miao ethnic minority there are 6 different languages and an estimated 35 different dialects. Yet many Miao groups agree that they share a common ancestry and celebrate many of the same festivals.

The Miao can be further subdivided into the Hmong, Hmub, Xong (Qo-Xiong), and A-Hmao. These subgroups have been divided based on the general colouring of the women’s clothes within that subgroup. Hmong Miao have settled throughout south and east Yunnan, south Sichuan and west Guizhou and are often referred to as White Miao, Green/Blue Miao, or Small Flowery Miao. Hmub Miao are concentrated primarily in southeast Guizhou and are designated as Black Miao. Xong (Qo-Xiong) Miao are located in west Hunan and are called Red Miao. Finally, A-Hmao Miao, or Big Flowery Miao, can be found in west Guizhou and northeast Yunnan. Of these four subgroups, the Hmong Miao are the only group to have immigrated out of China and small pockets of Hmong Miao can be found in America, France, Australia and a few other western countries.

Though these subgroups have distinct differences, they all agree on a common ancestry. According to legend, the Miao descended from the ancient Jiuli tribe, which was led by the quasi-mythical warrior Chiyou[1]. In 2500 B.C. the Jiuli struggled against the Huaxia, who were the ancient ancestors of the Han Chinese, over supremacy of the Yellow River valley. Not long after this struggle, the Jiuli tribe were forced further south by the Huaxia until they eventually separated into the Li and Miao tribes. As there is no historical record or DNA evidence that supports this claim, no one really knows which tribe triumphed or if the legend is necessarily true. Nowadays it really depends on who you ask!

Modern research, however, has given some credence to the legend. New evidence suggests that the Miao may have been among the first people to have settled in China. Researchers found that many words in Chinese related to rice farming were borrowed from the Miao language. This indicates that the Miao were likely among the first rice farmers in China. In the middle Yangtze River region, geneticists have also established a connection between the Miao and the Daxi, whose culture dates back approximately 5,300 to 6,000 years ago. The Daxi have long been credited as being some of the first cultivators of rice in China, meaning the Miao may have at least descended from or perhaps have been among the first settlers in China. If Miao ancestry dates back all the way to the founding of China, it is no wonder that, over time, they have developed into so many subgroups!

The term “Miao”, however, didn’t appear officially until it was first used by the Han Chinese sometime before the Qin dynasty (before 221 B.C.). Thereafter it tended to be applied to what the Han Chinese perceived as “barbarians”, particularly during the Ming and Qing dynasties when the Miao people waged frequent rebellions against imperial rule. After the fall of the Qing dynasty, the Miao played a focal role in the history of Communist China by providing Mao Zedong with supplies and guides through their territory so that he could escape the Kuomintang during the Long March.

In Miao culture, a village leader would normally be appointed to oversee each village, although nowadays these villages come under government jurisdiction. These village leaders still play important roles in the community, particularly in isolated Miao villages such as Basha. The average Miao village contains 100 to 200 households, although smaller villages have no more than 10 households and the largest villages contain over 1,000. Miaos have a reputation for living in mountainous areas so their villages tend to be perched on mountainsides or hillsides. They live in dwellings known as Diaojiaolou, which are wooden houses that are held up by stilts. These houses are normally two to three-storeys high. The front of the house is held up by pillars but the rear of the house is suspended on wooden poles, making it level with the mountainside. The ground floor, underneath the wooden poles, is used for livestock and firewood while the second floor is a general living space and the third floor is either a bedroom or an extra storage space. The houses are all built by villagers using local fir wood and they are a magnificent example of the craftsmanship exhibited by the Miao people.

The Miao people are one of the oldest ethnic minorities in China and their fascinating customs, elaborate dress and remarkable festivals are a reflection of their enduring legacy. If you’re taking a tour though Guizhou, the Miao villages of Basha and Langde are certainly a must-see.

[1] Chiyou: leader of the ancient Nine Li tribe in Chinese mythology who is most famous for his fight against the Yellow Emperor during the legendary Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors era. Although the Han Chinese view him as a tyrant, the Miao people venerate him as a wise and noble king and sometimes worship him as a deity.

Read more about Miao Ethnic Minority:

Miao Spirituality       Traditional Dress       Marriage Customs       Other Customs       Agriculture and Craftwork       Performance

Famous Miao Villages:   Basha       Langde Upper Village       Xijiang

Join a travel with us to discover the Culture of Miao Ethnic Minority:  Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Dong Ethnic Minority

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The Dong ethnic group are renowned for their musical ability and their skill as carpenters. From the Kam Grand Choirs to the looming Drum Towers, Dong villages are a place of harmony and wonder. The Dong people boast a population of nearly 3 million in China and the vast majority of them are concentrated in eastern Guizhou, western Hunan and northern Guangxi. Legends abound as to how the Dong people came to settle where they are now. Although all Dong people agree that their ancestors migrated from the east, southern Dong people believe their ancestors came from Guangdong and Guangxi, whilst northern Dong people believe their ancestors were forced to flee from Zhejiang and Fujian due to locust swarms. Their culture stretches back hundreds of years and this is evident in their daily life and local festivals.

The average Dong village consists of about 200 to 300 households, although the smallest ones will have only 10 to 20 and the largest can have upwards of 1,000. Villages are traditionally led by a council of elders, who are usually over the age of 60 and who utilise the village Drum Tower to hold meetings and discuss local affairs. There are certain features that are common throughout all Dong villages and these include wooden houses supported by stilts, Wind-Rain bridges, Drum Towers, sacred ancient trees, bullfighting arenas, wells surrounded by stone rims, communal fish-ponds, village gates, and altars to the deity Sa Sui.

The Dong language, known as Kam or Gam, is as complex as their culture. Kam is a tonal language but unlike Chinese, which has only 4 tones, there are a staggering 9 tones in Kam that are all used to denote meaning. Officially no written form of Kam exists, although there is now a Latin Romanisation of their language. The history, folktales and legends of the Dong people have all been passed down through song as part of their oral tradition.

 

Read more about Dong Ethnic Minority:

Dong Spirituality       Marriage Customs       Birth Customs       Funerary Customs

Agriculture and Craftwork       Performance      Oral Literature

Famous Dong Villages:   Chengyang       Sanbao      Xiaohuang       Yintan       Zhaoxing

 

Discover the culture of Dong Ethnic Minority in Guizhou on the travel:  Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Explore the culture of the Dong ethnic group

This is not just your average tour. This is an adventure. The transportation and the accommodation available to you in this region may be basic but the distinctive culture, special architecture and stunning scenery is so awe-inspiring, so unforgettably beautiful, that it will more than make up for any inconvenience you face there.

Simple introduction to the Dong ethnic group:

As one of the minority groups in China, the Dong People have their own language, but no word. There are more than 3 million Dong people living throughout Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi province. Dong people have a particular talent for music. They are famous throughout China for their singing.  Culturally they have developed the habit of singing songs while they are working and farming. They also have many interesting traditional folk tales and dramas that were originally based on their daily life, mostly about how to find love.

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The Dong people have their own style of architecture. The central symbol of any Dong village is its Drum Tower. Normally each Dong village has one to three big-name families living in it and each of these big families will have their own Drum Tower. The Wind-Rain Bridge is another common construction attributed to the Dong ethnic minority. A large Wind-Rain Bridge can look like a palace that has been built on a bridge.

Nowadays most Dong people still follow a traditional way of life in their hometowns. To this day you can still see their special houses, their traditional dress and their unique way of celebrating festivals. But unfortunately no one knows how long this exceptional culture will survive. More and more young people from the Dong community want to live like people from the “outside world” as they see it. The art of batik, embroidery, silverwork, and even singing is gradually being lost. Nowadays, in some Dong villages, you can still enjoy some authentic “performances” that are not staged for tourists. But who knows how long this opportunity will last?

About this trip:

It’s time to explore a culture that is indescribably different from your own.

Highlights of the trip:

  1. Studying the architecture of a traditional Dong village;
  2. Witnessing first-hand the delicate traditional dress and adornments of the Dong people;
  3. Listening to the beautiful songs and watching the graceful performances that are associated with traditional Dong culture and customs;
  4. Sampling the delicious local Dong cuisine.

Summary of the travel plan:

By now, if you’ve read this article carefully, you will already have some general knowledge about this ethnic group. Throughout this tour, you will delve into the daily life of the Dong people, witness first-hand how they live, and develop an in-depth knowledge of their culture.  You will get a rare glimpse of their daily life. You will be given the opportunity to do some light research into their architecture. You will be privy to demonstrations of their songs and folk performances, which is why we have chosen the middle of August (according to the Chinese lunar calendar) to hold our tour as this is when their biggest festival takes place. And, finally, you will get to sample their local food. We are sure you will love their rice wine!

On the tour you will be staying in the traditional wooden houses found in all Dong villages. You must be very curious about how modern their houses are. There’s no need to worry! We will set you up in a local hotel that has some basic, modern facilities. However, we recommend that you bring your own sleeping bag with you, as the beds in the hotels will also be quite basic.

We are certain that you will be deeply impressed and moved by their beautiful songs even though you won’t be able understand their language or their meaning. By listening to their music, you may feel that, in some incommunicable way, you have entered their world. After that, you may even want to plan your next journey there and try to live like a true Dong local.

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What information will we provide you with in advance?

  • Useful information about the Dong ethnic group, including their history, their way of life, their festivals and customs, their architecture, their traditional dress and adornments, the geography of their hometowns and their current situation;
  • Specific information about each village on your trip;
  • Information about the transportation and accommodation you will use;
  • Some useful Chinese phrases that you can use to communicate with locals on a very basic level while you are there, such as how to ask locals for directions, how to purchase the tickets you will need and so on. We will also provide you with the names (in Chinese) of the local dishes and the souvenirs you may be interested in purchasing.

Travel itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Guiyang, the capital city of Guizhou province.

Activities:

  • Go to the supermarket and buy all necessary items for daily use, e.g. tissues, shampoo etc.;
  • Have a good rest after your international flight. Don’t get restless; you will start your adventure soon!
  • Enjoy a leisurely tour of Guiyang.

Tourists Attractions in Guiyang: Jiaxiu Tower.

We recommend you visit Jiaxiu Tower in the late afternoon, around about 3pm. You can have dinner nearby and after dinner you can enjoy the view of the Tower at night. You may get to see some local people setting off Sky Lanterns in the square. There’s also the opportunity to walk around and get a feel for the local life in a Chinese city. There is a night market nearby where you may find some interesting things to buy.

Accommodation: Four-star hotel near the city centre and Jiaxiu Tower (about £40 per night)

Transportation: We recommend that you take a taxi from the airport to the hotel, which should cost no more than £20. We also recommend that you take a taxi to the coach station the next day, which should cost no more than £5.

Note: We recommend that you go to sleep early and try to enjoy the luxurious hotel bed while you can. This is the most comfortable hotel you will stay in on your trip. You should also try to conserve your energy so you can start your adventure the next day.

Day 2: Go to Rongjiang from Guiyang; visit Sanbao village

pic5Activities:

  • Leave for Rongjiang by coach at 9:40 am from the stadium coach station in Guiyang. It will take you roughly 3 hours to get to Rongjiang.
  • Arrive at Rongjiang just after midday. From here you have two choices: you can find a small restaurant and have a simple lunch near the coach station, or you can go straight to Sanbao village and find a special, local restaurant there. If you are really starving after the long coach journey, we suggest that you eat something near the station.
  • Visit Sanbao Village. Take a taxi from the coach station to the village, which should hopefully only cost about £1. When you arrive, there will be some performances taking place inside the village. Normally if a big group of people arrive together, then a performance will start immediately. If all else fails, you can just walk around and explore the village until you hear the music or the songs, and then you can head back for the performance. Sanbao sits on the banks of the Duliujiang River. The beautiful view there of the moon when sitting on the river banks at night is desperately romantic.
  • Although the atmosphere at night is incredibly peaceful and the view is very beautiful, we suggest that you head back to Rongjiang to stay overnight. The living conditions in Sanbao have not yet improved to the level that we feel would be acceptable for most tourists. You may also find that the whole village has quite a strong smell to it. The smell is not strong enough to ruin your tour but it can be quite off-putting.
  • During the day, you can choose a nice local restaurant in the town centre to enjoy some authentic Dong-style cuisine. In our experience, the small restaurants on the high street are very good. You’ll have to sit down on the small low-stools that are common in local Chinese restaurants. We recommend you tell the waiter that you cannot eat food that is too spicy, although this is completely up to your discretion.

Accommodation: we recommend you stay at a hotel in Rongjiang called Binuan. It is just a simple hotel but it is peaceful and clean. It costs between £20 and £30 per night depending on what type of room you want.

Day 3: Go to Congjiang by coach, stay in a special Miao Village called Basha, and visit a Dong Village called Yintan

Activities:

  • Take a coach from Rongjiang coach station. We recommend that you take the coach early in the morning as there are several morning performances in Congjiang that you can enjoy if you get there early. It will take about 2 hours to get to Congjiang from Rongjiang;
  • Take a Taxi from Congjiang station to Biasha, which should only cost £4 or £5 if you bargain with the taxi driver. You must also ask the driver for his telephone number and let him know that you would like him to make a round trip to Yintan later, which should cost from £25 to £30 if you bargain with the driver.
  • Find a small B&B in Biasha. If you want to, you can stay in local’s house instead, so long as you can accept the potentially less hygienic or unhygienic conditions there.
  • Once you are in Biasha, you will hopefully have the chance to enjoy a traditional performance by people from the Miao ethnic minority. From experience, it is a fantastic and culturally enlightening display.
  • After you are done in Biasha and you have chosen a place to stay there, it will be time to head to Yintan. Yintan is a beautiful Dong village that rests inside the mountains. There are almost no tourists there and, likewise, there are very few residents. It is rare to see any young people there. Most of the young people from the village have left to find work so their families can survive. The village population is mainly made up of elderly people and children.
  • After you have finished exploring Yintan, you should head back Biasha.
  • About Biasha: Since Biasha is a Miao village, it may seem weird that it has been included in this travel plan. We recommend you visit Biasha because it is a very special place, even among the Miao villages, and it is very close to Congjiang. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss! Biasha is the only place in China where residents are allowed to own guns, since it is part of their tradition and culture. Every man in this village will have a gun, and they are all very good at shooting. Men in Biasha have a special kind of hairstyle. For their entire life, they shave most of their head and leave only some hair directly in the centre of their head, which to them symbolises the one life they have been given. Biasha people worship the God of the Maple Tree. Every man in the village will be given a maple tree when he is born. When he dies, the maple tree will be cut down and used to make his coffin.

pic6 Accommodation:

At the moment we still cannot book a room in Biasha via the Internet, although it has been a famous tourist destination for years. People there still follow their original way of life so they don’t use the Internet. The good news is more and more B&Bs are cropping up in the village. We will try to book a room for you at one of these B&Bs over the phone. If they are not too busy, they will save your room for you. Unfortunately, if they do not save you a room then you will have to find another hotel while you are there.

Please Note: Some elderly women in Biasha and Yintan may beg or ask you for money. We are sorry if that happens to you and of course you have every right to refuse. But if you don’t give them any money, please think carefully when you decide to take a photo of some of the elderly residents there. Sometimes this is all they can do to make a living. If you would like to help them, giving them just 10-yuan RMB (about £1) will be enough, and we suggest that you don’t give them too much unless you feel particularly sympathetic towards them. However, we must strongly advise that you do not give money to children. If you really want to help them, please give them some cheap gifts instead of money. .

Day 4: Visit Xiaohuang Village

pic7Activities:

  • Go to the coach station. We will provide you with a printout that has the following sentence written on it in Chinese: “I want a taxi to Xiaohuang” or “I want to share a taxi with someone to Xiaohuang”.  Normally the total round trip will cost about £20 (for a single person traveling alone, so halve that if you choose to share a taxi). Another option is to ask the taxi driver who drove you to Biasha the previous day, but for this kind of professional Taxi the price may be higher, so you’ll probably have to give the taxi driver about £25 pounds.
  • About Xiaohuang: It is predominantly famous for its folk songs.
  • If you like this village a lot then you can bargain with your driver and give him some more money so that you can stay there longer.
  • After you’re finished in Xiaohuang, you will return to Biasha and enjoy some leisure time wandering the village. You may meet some other tourists there who are English or who can speak English. It is a shame you won’t be able to chat with the local people. They can barely speak Mandarin, let alone English.

Day 5: Go to Zhaoxing

pic8Activities:

    • Catch a coach at 7.50am from Congjiang coach station to Zhaoxing. Please don’t miss it! There is only one coach in the morning. However if, for whatever reason, you do miss it, then it is not the end of the world. We have a back-up plan: you can go to Luoxiang by coach, and then take a Taxi to Zhaoxing. The taxi should only cost about £2.
  • Find your hotel and check in. While you’re there, you should ask the hotel owner for information about the local evening performance. You can buy a ticket for the performance in the hotel. The performance will not be like the other performances you will have seen on the previous three days. The performance will take place on a stage and the actors in it are professionals. This performance may have more star quality and look more professional, but you may still prefer the authentic, village performances you have seen previously.

Accommodation: 

Zhaoxing is one of the biggest Dong villages. We can book a hotel for you online and the hotels in Zhaoxing tend to be better than in the other Dong villages.

Day 6 Go to see the Wind-Rain Bridge in Chengyang

Activities:

  • Catch the coach from Zhaoxing to Sanjiang at 7:00 am. Please Note: we must apologise in advance, as this coach journey is not ideal. It can be dirty and very noisy. It is a tough trip to make. The road is a little dangerous because there are many sharp bends in the road. So if it is raining, you may want to go the next day instead. Ask the receptionist in the hotel where the bus stop is and try to get there as early as possible so you can get a seat on the coach.
  • Take a taxi from Sanjiang to Chengyang. It should cost no more than £5.
  • Check in at the hotel in Chenyang and enjoy your day exploring the village. Don’t forget to go to the bridge and have a look. After all, that’s what you will have come to see!

Accommodation:

Chengyang is well-equipped for tourism. You will find many tourists from all over the world there. This means we can easily book a hotel for you online. If you talk with some of the other tourists there and mention some of the other villages you have visited, you’ll find that most of the other tourists won’t have visited any of them. Most of these tourists will have come directly from Guilin as it is much easier to get to Chengyang from there. This is why you will have seen almost no other foreign tourists on your journey.

Day 7 Go to Guilin and start your next trip or go back home.

You may decide to stay in Chengyang for another day. It is a good idea as you’ll need a rest day after such a tough journey. Just keep in mind that, when you do want to leave, you’ll need to go back to Sanjiang to catch a coach to Guilin. Remember to ask your hotel reception for the latest coach schedule. The last coach to Guilin should leave at 14:30. Fortunately it is a modern coach and it is very comfortable.

Whose hometown is in the dream?

世外桃源I told my friend, I might go to Guizhou to run a small café in a lovely Dong village. They treated it as a ‘day dream’. Who will be your consumers? Are there enough tourits? Well, their points may be correct. I don’t think Dong people will enjoy coffee. Any way, if I have enough money to run my café, it will not be for earning money. It is just a way of enjoying life, in a peace.

 It is not just who dream to live there. It is also a dream for natives, since most of them have left there to find jobs outside far away.

 

 

Beautiful places always hide in mountains. Guizhou is described as ‘no more than three days for sunshine, no more than three miles for flat’. Mountains and hills occupy 92.5% of fields in this province. Not enough filed is for farming. Traffic system is not good enough to connect every village, especially the minority ethnic groups. All these features constrict the development of local economics. But people need to improve their life conditions. They want their next generation to have better life. So they go out to earn money.

路边5Every Dong village is beautiful and peaceful; some are too quite to let me believe that no people are living there. It is a little bit scary. You might think you are really in a dream. Young people are not easy to see. The most common picture of there is that some children are playing around some old ladies.

For some popular villages for tour, there are some young girls and boys offering performance to tourists when off their class, such as Sanbao and Zhaoxing. Sanbao is near the town so it is easy to be reached; well Zhaoxing is famous because it is the biggest Dong village.

15th August, according to the Chinese Luna calendar, the moon shows its most beautiful face during the whole year. Outside the village of Sanbao, Duliujiang River is flowing quietly. We were sitting on the riverside – a Dong young man, two other visitors and me. The Dong was singing with guitar, under the beautiful moon……I never regretted to travel alone. But if there is one who can share this nice feeling with me, it is also fine…

 

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Yintan, a village inside the mountains, but gets a road, although it is a narrow and tough way. Several trucks were parking on the road, so the space left seemed just could be for two wheels in one side of the car. The driver had a look at the road then to speed up. I stopped him and got off. I must admit that I was scared. I walked along and got on again when he passed all trucks.

When I entered in the village, the feeling was like coming into a dream. It was not real. There were wooden houses, streets, Towers, just as a normal Dong village…but there was no person. Finally some children appeared. They were playing and laughing, which made the place even more looked like an illusion. Turning to another lane, old men appeared. They were sitting together inside the tower, smoking. All of them, young and old stopped their business and began staring at me. But they were friendly. They showed nice smile to me.

Going inside, the whole village was having the nap in this warm afternoon. Dogs were sleeping on the road everywhere. Cats were resting in the corners. An old woman was dyeing her new cloths besides two big jars of Landian Cao (Baphicacanthus cusia), which were her magical blue dye.

 

路边15Then my feeling of illusion came back again. The world was so quite…