Zhaoxing Dong (肇兴侗) is one of the most famous ethnic villages in Guizhou. This quick guide will help you organize your DIY trip in this beautiful part of China.
Guizhou is one of my favorite provinces in China, thanks to its well-preserved ethnic minority culture. I traveled there many times and wrote some (hopefully) useful travel guides to some of its most iconic places, such as the Xijiang Miao Village and the Fanjingshan Sacred Mountain.
In this guide, I write about one of the most famous Dong villages: Zhaoxing. The Dong people have their language, which is part of the Sino-Tibetan language family. They are famous for their unique wooden architecture, especially the Drum Towers and Wind and Rain Bridges, which are constructed without nails and are central to their communities. They are also known for their advanced terraced rice paddy cultivation techniques, similar to those of those who live in the southern part of Yunnan.
Here are some quick Facts About Zhaoxing:
- Location: Zhaoxing, Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province.
- Established: The village was established around 1160 AD during the Southern Song Dynasty.
- Population: Predominantly Dong ethnic minority.
- Main Attractions: Drum Towers, Wind and Rain Bridges, traditional wooden Dong houses, terraced rice paddies, and local festivals.
Best Time to Visit
Guizhou is one of the greenest provinces in China, and there is a reason for that: it rains almost nonstop most of the year. This means that when planning your trip to Guizhou, you should expect to rain most of the time. The rain actually makes most places look nicer, with the mist coming down from the mountains and the rivers filled with water.
The other positive side of rainy weather is that most of Guizhou doesn’t experience the heat waves that characterize most of China. So, you can generally expect nicer temperatures in Summer.
The best time to visit is during spring (April to June), when you can see the rice fields filled with water, especially around early spring. Please avoid the national holidays at all costs.
How to Get to Zhaoxing
The best way to get to Zhaoxing is by High-Speed Train. The closest train station is called Congjiang 从江, and you can take a taxi to the old town after you arrive there. As always, I recommend booking the train ticket using Trip.com. The station of Congjiang is well connected with Guiyang, Guangzhou and Guilin.
Where to Stay
Like most similar villages, Zhaoxing offers plenty of accommodation options. It all boils down to how much you want to spend. Remember, as I often mention, that Booking.com is generally more expensive in China compared to Trip.com, even when booking the same structure.
You might want to stay somewhere along the main road so that all the attractions are not too far away.
Top Attractions
Visiting the Ancient Town is quite straightforward, and you can wander around the small alleys and the river. These are the main attractions:
- Drum Towers (Gulou): The iconic Drum Towers are the centerpiece of Zhaoxing’s architecture and community life. These multi-story wooden structures serve as meeting points, timekeepers, and symbols of Dong culture.
- Wind and Rain Bridges (Fengyuqiao): Zhaoxing is renowned for its Wind and Rain Bridges, which are built without nails and feature unique roofed structures that span streams and connect different parts of the village.
- Dong Villages and Traditional Houses: These houses are built on stilts and adorned with intricate wood carvings and tiled roofs. Walking through these villages gives visitors a glimpse into the daily life and customs of the Dong people.
- Dong Embroidery and Batik Workshops: Dong embroidery and batik are integral to the local craftsmanship in Zhaoxing. You can visit workshops to observe artisans creating intricate embroidery patterns and dyeing fabrics using traditional techniques. These workshops offer opportunities to purchase unique Dong handicrafts as souvenirs.
- Viewpoint: The iconic entrance of the village, with the rice terraces in front of it, is taken from the viewpoint right outside the main gate. Don’t miss it.
Tangan Dong Zhai (堂安侗寨) Village
Tangan (堂安侗寨) is a small village about 30 minutes from the main entrance of Zhaoxing. You can take a local minibus (ask your hotel for help to book the ticket) or a taxi. The village is quite nice, starkly contrasting with the rest of the area. There are fewer tourists, and many local Dong people still live in the area.
This village is about two hours from the famous Longji Rice terraces in Guangxi (my travel guide is here).
I recommend spending a few hours there to enjoy the peace and hike some of the rice terraces.
Local Cuisine
Don’t forget to taste the local Sour Soup Fish (Suan Tang Yu), known for its tangy broth and fresh river fish, and Bamboo Rice (Zhu Tong Fan), cooked inside bamboo tubes. Other local dishes include Dong Sour Soup (Suan Tang), made with pickled vegetables and chili peppers, and Steamed River Fish (Zheng Yu).
Final Thoughts
If you are a habitual reader of my blog, you should know that I have mixed feelings about most of the “ancient towns” in China. Most of the time, they are tourist traps that have completely lost their authenticity. This doesn’t mean that those cities are not worthy of a visit. But you should have the right expectations.
Zhaoxing is no exception. The village is heavily developed with little or no regard for preserving ancient customs, and most stores and hotels are managed by people from other areas of China who aren’t really interested in the local culture.
This being said, if it’s your first time in China and you have the right expectations (you don’t expect to visit a remote, undiscovered part of China), then Zhaoxing can be a good option, especially if you combine it with some of the nearby less touristy villages.
Remember to get a VPN or an eSim before coming to China.
Don’t miss my travel guide to China if you need help planning your trip.
