Guizhou Travel |A Paradise for Hikers and a Journey into Ethnic Diversity|Independent Travel
hikers Journey traveler's guideGuizhou Province has long been known for its “ethnic charm,” but few have truly ventured deep into southeastern Guizhou. Most people may recognize “Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village,” a highly renowned village. While Xijiang is indeed an impressive village, the over-commercialization of this tourist spot has somewhat diminished its former tranquility.
Today, let’s delve into Liping, Congjiang, and Rongjiang, to explore this colorful land and experience its true primitive and mysterious charm.
Liping, Congjiang, and Rongjiang: The Heart of Ethnic Diversity
These three counties, Liping, Congjiang, and Rongjiang, are adjacent on the map of Guizhou. They are home to various ethnic groups such as the Miao, Dong, Shui, and Buyi. The majestic Leigong and Moon Mountains stand tall here, while the winding Duliu River flows towards the sea. This is the core area of the saying “three days without sunshine, and three feet without flat land.”
Liping: The Largest Dong Villages are Here
Liping is primarily inhabited by the Dong people. Many of Guizhou’s most famous Dong villages are located here. Unlike the Miao people, who migrated from elsewhere, the Dong people have always lived on this land. They have their own language but no written script. After the arrival of foreign missionaries, they adopted the Latin alphabet as their writing system.
Dimen is the second-largest Dong village in the world, currently home to 600-700 households. It is one of the sources of the Qingshui River, and the name “Dimen” in the Dong language means a place where spring water continuously gushes out. Historically, Dimen was the largest village, with around 1,300 households, surpassing the current Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village and Zhaoxing Dong Village. However, due to the geographical constraints, the village became overcrowded, and the elders decided to disperse the residents to nearby places like Maogong and Ladong.
Dimen remains very much in its original state, making it a paradise for hiking enthusiasts. When we drove there, we happened to see a group of heavily loaded hikers slowly making their way out along the village path.
Unlike noisy tourist spots, Dimen has not been invaded by outsiders. The drum towers, flower bridges, granaries, and ancient wells still retain their original appearance. It is also an excellent place for photography enthusiasts to capture stunning images.
Zhaoxing: A Guinness World Record Village
Zhaoxing Dong Village, with over 1,100 households, is the largest existing Dong village in the world. Due to its diverse architecture, it has been listed in the Guinness World Records and is known as the “World’s Museum of Ethnic Villages.”
Zhaoxing gained fame probably because of the 2018 Spring Festival Gala, where a sub-venue was set up here. The majestic drum towers, vibrant ethnic dances, and songs introduced this hidden village in the mountains to people all over the world.
Although Zhaoxing has now been developed into a tourist spot, it remains much quieter compared to the bustling Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village. Here, you can experience how the Dong people prepare breakfast and taste their tea. You can also try your hand at making your own batik and tie-dye fabrics, and even witness the process of creating a piece of Dong cloth, which takes about four months to complete.
Visiting a Dong village can be challenging without a guide. It’s easy to get lost, and without someone to explain the history, it can be difficult to understand the village’s thousand-year history. That’s why we found a local guide to lead us and uncover the secrets of this mysterious village.
The Most Beautiful Road of Villages: The Hundred-Mile Dong Village
The Provincial Road 308 from Liping to Rongjiang spans over 50 kilometers and is lined with numerous Dong villages. It is said that there is a flower bridge every three miles and a drum tower every five miles. Dimen Village is located along this road. Here, you can witness the perfect display of Dong architectural art, with villages of varying sizes, flower bridges of different lengths, and drum towers in octagonal, circular, and square shapes.
This road is little known to outsiders, and driving along it offers breathtaking scenery. Occasionally, you may encounter a few local villagers’ vehicles, making you feel as if you’ve entered a hidden world.
Rongjiang: In My Eyes, the Land of Ethnic Art
With the opening of the high-speed railway, Rongjiang is now attracting more visitors. However, many people are still unsure of where to go. I personally love this place because its ethnic culture is incredibly captivating.
The Most Intact Village in the Mountains: Dali Village
From Rongjiang County, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Dali Village. The road to the village ends abruptly, with no further paths beyond. Walking along the village roads, you can’t anticipate what scenery lies ahead. But as the road turns, a primitive village suddenly appears before you.
Every cobblestone road, every building in the village, exudes an ancient charm. The day we visited, the village was holding a funeral, and the entire village gathered by the river to eat. We strolled through the village, quickly immersing ourselves in this idyllic paradise.
A Village Where Songs Are Always Heard: Zaidang Village
Zaidang is famous in China’s cultural circles, largely because of an elderly man, Hu Guanmei, a “National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor of Dong Grand Song.” As early as the CCTV Youth Singer Competition, Dong Grand Song became known to people all over the world. Hu Guanmei, over the years, has been dedicated to passing on this extraordinary art.
Zaidang Village is not far from Dali Dong Village. The entire village is quiet, and Hu’s house is opposite a small shop across from the elementary school. This school is the birthplace of the famous Dong Grand Song children’s choir. Under Hu’s guidance, they have toured various parts of the world.
Next to the school is Zaidang’s drum tower, where the villagers’ many years of honorary certificates are displayed. Every evening from 7 to 8 p.m., the villagers gather in the drum tower to practice singing. If you’re lucky, you can witness Hu teaching them how to sing. The 16-part a cappella children’s chorus will leave you mesmerized.
Dong Grand Song: Dong Grand Song is Guizhou’s only World Intangible Cultural Heritage. Hu Guanmei has performed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Sydney Opera House, and the Vienna Golden Hall, making it a cultural ambassador for Guizhou to the world. Dong Grand Song is performed in multi-part a cappella by groups of people, and hearing it live is a heavenly experience.
Hu’s son, daughter-in-law, and two daughters are all renowned Dong Grand Song masters in China. Her two daughters became nationally known when they led the Dong Grand Song performance during the CCTV Youth Singer Competition.
A Dress That Takes Five Years to Embroider: Baibei Miao Village
Baibei Miao Village is not far from Rongjiang County. Nestled in the Moon Mountain range, it offers excellent views, facing the water and backed by mountains. This village is a significant showcase of Miao culture, largely because it is home to a dress that takes five years to embroider—the Hundred-Bird Dress.
The Hundred-Bird Dress represents the pinnacle of Miao embroidery. The process begins with the creation of the cloth, using silkworms to spin the threads randomly, which is already a time-consuming process. Then, various patterns, including bird motifs, butterfly patterns, and turtle designs, are meticulously embroidered stitch by stitch on this cloth. The dress features numerous embroidery techniques, such as split-thread embroidery, flat embroidery, appliqué embroidery, axis embroidery, and seed embroidery.
Each dress is a testament to the artist’s skill, taking an average of 3 to 5 years to complete. They are typically worn during grand festivals and significant occasions. The value of each dress ranges from 50,000 to 600,000 RMB. At the home of a provincial-level inheritor, Teacher Jiang, there is a Hundred-Bird Dress that has been kept as a family heirloom for over a century, valued at over 3 million RMB.
Congjiang: A Land of Terraces and Gastronomy
Congjiang County is located along both banks of the Duliu River, with many famous villages nearby, including Zengchong, Xiaohuang, Huanggang, Zanli, Basha, and Judong. Each village has its own story and characteristics.
- Zengchong: Home to a thousand-year-old drum tower.
- Xiaohuang and Huanggang: The birthplace of Dong Grand Song, with Xiaohuang being the home of another Dong Grand Song intangible cultural heritage inheritor, Pan Sayinhua.
- Zanli: Known for its mysterious techniques for determining the gender of unborn children.
- Basha: The last gun-wielding tribe.
- Judong: A village that can only be reached by boat.
But today, I want to talk about another place.
The Magnificent Hundred-Mile Terraces: Moon Mountain
When people think of terraces in Guizhou, they often think of the Jiabang Terraces. Indeed, that’s where I’m taking you today—Moon Mountain, home to the Hundred-Mile Terraces. The terraces in Jiabang Township are part of the Moon Mountain’s Hundred-Mile Terraces, and Jiacha Village, the popular photography spot, is already a well-developed tourist site.
However, many people are unaware that starting from Jiabang, Moon Mountain is dotted with many villages prefixed with “Jia,” such as Jiabang, Jiacha, Jiamian, Jiajiu, Jialu, Jiayi, and more. The further you go, the more spectacular the terraces become.
A Filming Location for “A Bite of China”: Xiayao
If you haven’t seen the seventh episode of the first season of “A Bite of China,” you should watch it before you visit Xiayao. The terraced rice, paddy field fish, and aged wine from this area became famous after the show.
Xiayao is the home of Pan, a Zhuang wine-making inheritor. Here, you can experience the traditional process of making this wine and enjoy the best long-table banquet. Staying here, you’ll fall asleep to the sounds of the nearby river and frogs, while the bright stars illuminate the sky. There’s absolutely no pollution here, not even light pollution. At dawn, the roosters will surely wake you up, allowing you to experience the warmth of village life in the morning. Visiting Xiayao is truly a delightful experience.
