Zhaoxing Dong Village

Zhaoxing Dong Village is in Zhaoxing Town, Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, in south-eastern Guizhou, and is one of the largest Dong settlements in China. The village is divided into five clusters, each with its own drum tower, and is known for its timber architecture of stilted houses, wind-and-rain bridges and tiered drum towers built without nails. The drum towers are multi-eaved wooden structures that serve as community gathering places and are named after the five Dong clans: Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi and Xin. Wind-and-rain bridges, covered with roofed corridors, cross the river that runs through the valley, and rows of dark timber houses stack up the slopes. The Dong people are renowned for their grand choir, a polyphonic singing tradition recognised by UNESCO, and performances are staged in the main square, often in the evening. Visitors can walk the lanes, climb to viewpoints above the village for the classic panorama of drum towers and rooftops, and eat Dong dishes such as sour fish soup and oil tea. A visit takes half a day, but staying overnight in a timber guesthouse lets visitors see the village lit up and enjoy the quiet early morning, when mist hangs over the valley. October to March is quieter than summer and holiday periods, though winters can be cold and damp. The village is reached by train to Liping or bus from Congjiang, followed by a taxi for around an hour. Photographs are best from the hillside viewpoints at sunrise or from the bridges at dusk.