Zhaoxing Dong Village 肇兴侗寨Zhàoxīng Dòngzhài

Why go to Zhaoxing Dong Village

Zhaoxing is one of China's largest Dong villages, in Zhaoxing town in the south of Liping County, and is a 4A-rated scenic area. Its houses are grouped into five clan districts named Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi and Xin, each with its own drum tower, wind-and-rain bridge and opera stage. Performers sing Dong Grand Song beneath the drum towers for visitors.

The story

Local oral history says the village was founded around 1160. Dong Grand Song, an unaccompanied choral tradition sung in many parts, was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2009, and Dong villages keep it alive around their drum towers and covered bridges.

What to see at Zhaoxing Dong Village

• Five drum towers 五座鼓楼: Named Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi and Xin, each tower anchors a clan district and serves as its meeting and singing place.
• Flower Bridge 花桥: A covered wind-and-rain bridge of timber joinery, 57 m long and built in 1882, where villagers shelter and gather.
• Opera stages 戏台: Each district has its own stage; festivals bring Dong opera, lusheng pipes, singing and dancing.
• Dong Grand Song performance 侗族大歌表演: Choirs sing multi-part, unaccompanied songs beneath the drum towers for visitors.

How to visit Zhaoxing Dong Village

Walk the central stream-side lanes between the five districts, crossing the bridges and stopping at each drum tower, then cross to the quieter hillside lanes for views over the roofs. Half a day covers the main sights; staying overnight lets you see the towers at night and the performances.

How to get to Zhaoxing Dong Village

High-speed trains from Guiyang North reach Congjiang station in about 1.5 hours; Zhaoxing is only about 5 km away, roughly 15 minutes by scenic-area shuttle bus or taxi.

Where to stay

Stay in the village itself, in wooden guesthouses among the lanes and bridges, so you can see it after the day-trippers leave.

What to eat

• Oil tea 油茶: A savoury, bitter-sweet tea eaten with toasted rice, peanuts and other toppings, a Dong morning and welcome custom.
• Pickled fish 腌鱼: Paddy-field fish cured in a jar with salt, rice and chilli until sour and salty; the Dong say they cannot do without sour food or fish.
• Sticky-rice-wrapped grilled pork 糯米饭包烤肉: A snack sold by street vendors in the village.

Tips for visiting Zhaoxing Dong Village

• Rain is frequent from April to August; wooden bridges and lanes are slippery.
• The Niren (mud figure) Festival, on the 18th day of the eighth lunar month, is held in Xiage village about 4 km away and is a good reason to time a visit.
• Labour Day and National Day weeks are the most crowded; staying overnight lets you see the drum towers lit at night and hear evening singing.

Nearby

• Chengyang Eight Villages 程阳八寨 50 km
  Dong villages of timber drum towers and a covered bridge, set among paddy fields
• Longji Rice Terraces 龙脊梯田 100 km
  Rice paddies stacked up the mountains like the scales on a dragon's back
• Xijiang Miao Village 西江千户苗寨 120 km
  More than a thousand wooden Miao homes climbing the hills, glittering like stars at night

Also within 30 km: Diping Wind and Rain Bridge 地坪风雨桥 (20 km), Batuan Bridge 岜团桥 (30 km).

On the map

Open Zhaoxing Dong Village on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.