Tang'an Dong Village

Tang’an Dong Village is located in the Zhaoxing, Liping County, and it is an echt “original village”. It is said that Tang’an Dong Village has a history of over 700 years. Here is the only Dong nationality ecology museum co-built by China and Norway.

Village layout

Tang’an Dong Village is situated in the hillside. It is surrounded by green mountains and overlapping terrace. There are only 800 villagers of Dong nationality, and almost their houses sit in south-north direction. The winding pathway extends in all directions. Nine outlets of the village have gates. Other subsidiary facilities in the village are barn, water-powered roller, fish pond, well pavilion and so on, and they have special culture characteristic.

The Drum Tower, Opera Tower, stilted building, flagging, ancient tomb group, ancient Spoon Well, water-powered roller, spinning wheel are all in a style of primitive simplicity, and these Dong features witness long history of Tang’an Dong Village.

What to appreciate

Tomb group

There is a graveyard in the center of village with ten tombs. The graveyard was built in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911A.D.) with the engraved dragons and carved phoenixes on the tombs. The exquisite technique is another representation of Dong nationality culture heritage.

Drum Tower

In Dong villages, the drum tower is not only a building, but is a gathering and meeting place. For most of times, it is a concentrated spiritual home. The drum tower is the mascot in Tang’an Dong Village, and it is believed that it could lockup the soul of the Dong People.

Opera Tower

Opera stage is near the Drum Tower, which is a platform for the Dong people to show their artistic talent.

Wind and Rain Bridge

Wind and Rain Bridge located in the village as a shelter place, but the single young girls and boys like it most. Especially in summer, the bright moon hanging in the sky, with wind breezing, the Dong youth gather in the bridge, boys playing lute while sing fair-sounding love song to the girls.

Spoon Well

There is a clear spring on the drum tower and with warm water in winter and cold water in summer, flowing all around year. The well gained the name because it is a water holder resembling a wooden spoon. The village is in the altitude of 925 meters, so the water source is very important. The water in Spoon Well has a sweet taste, so it attracts lots of people from other place to take water.

Tang’an terrace

On the way from Zhaoxing to Tang’an village, apart from forest, terrace everywhere is a nice scene. Unlike the soil terrace, Tang’an terrace is made of piled up stones. Overlapping stone terrace is a special feature.