Discovering Miao and Dong Culture in Southeast Guizhou
Your 5-day Guizhou Ethnic Tour will take you deep into the southeastern region of Guizhou Province to personally experience the unique cultures and customs of the Miao and Dong ethnic minorities.
Traveling from Guiyang through Kaili, Rongjiang, Congjiang, and Zhaoxing, you'll explore a curated selection of authentic villages, alternating between four distinctive Miao and four unique Dong communities. Each village offers its own special character, evident in their songs, dances, architecture, clothing, and folk customs, all far from the reach of commercial tourism.
Among the Miao villages, you'll visit Langde (Hometown of Chinese Folk Song and Dance), Shiqiao (Hometown of Ancient Papermaking), Matang Gejia (unique costumes lie ancient armor and batik art), Biasha (China's Last Gunman Tribe). On Dong side, explore Zhaoxing (China’s largest Dong village with a stunning drum tower complex), Tangan (picturesquely set amidst terraced fields), Zhanli (legendary for its unique population balance and the secret of "Huanhua Grass"), Dali (known for 5 wind-and-rain bridges and distinctive Siheyuan-style courtyards).
Welcome to Guiyang, capital of Guizhou! Your guide and driver await you at the airport/train station for a smooth transfer to your downtown hotel. Breathe in the fresh air!
Guiyang Arrival Ideas:
Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (KWE) is the main airport serving the city, with direct flights from major cities across China (Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Xiamen) and international destinations like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.
Guiyang is a significant railway hub in Southwest China, serving numerous bullet trains that connect Guiyang to major cities such as Guangzhou, Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing, and other cities within Guizhou.
Free Time Idea:
After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive towards Kaili (approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, covering about 160 kilometers).
Your first stop is Shiqao Miao Village (石桥村), renowned as the “Hometown of Ancient Papermaking” in China. Here, the ancient papermaking methods are still preserved. The area surrounding the Miao village is rich in paper mulberry trees, and for generations, the villagers have used the bark to make paper. You will have the opportunity to witness the entire papermaking process, from soaking and pulping the bark to drying and crafting the durable, exquisite paper products.
Cultural Experience: You’ll create your own special decorative paper by embedding real flower petals and leaves directly into the pulp, crafting a personal keepsake that you can take home. Beyond the workshops, take time to explore the tranquil village nestled alongside the water, embraced by scenic mountains. It is called “Shiqiao” (Stone Bridge) village because of a natural stone arch bridge that spans the riverbanks.
In the afternoon, you will visit Matang Gejia Village (麻塘亻革家寨). The villagers of Matang believe themselves to be descendants of Hou Yi, the legendary archer. Their clothing is mainly decorated with batik and red embroidery. They fashion their headdresses into the shapes of bows and arrows, and their necklace pendants resemble various weapons, reminiscent of ancient generals. Legend has it that in ancient times, a general’s wife went to the battlefield in her husband’s armor and won a victory. To commemorate her, women wear general’s attire during festivals.
Beyond their attire, the Gejia people’s batik artistry is also very famous. The patterns are quite unique, often depicting powerful creatures like tigers and other animals, as well as flowers, birds, and insects, reflecting the Gejia people’s deep love for nature. In the village, you can observe the villagers making batik by hand using beeswax. Cultural Experience: Try your hand at creating your own batik masterpiece, participating in every step – wax drawing, dyeing, and wax removal, and take your finished work home as a unique souvenir.
After the tour, transfer to your hotel in Kaili for check-in.
Note: If you’re interested in staying overnight in Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village to enjoy the stunning night views, please consult your travel advisor in advance.
In the morning, depart from Kaili and drive to Langde Miao Village(朗德苗上寨), known as the “Hometown of Chinese Folk Song and Dance.” It is nestled amidst lush mountains and terraced fields. Unlike more commercialized villages, Langde retains its untouched, authentic charm, where ancient customs and the rhythm of songs and dances unfold slowly.
Upon arrival, you will be greeted with the “Twelve Cups of Block-Way Rice Wine” ceremony. Villagers dressed in magnificent silver headdresses and embroidered clothing will welcome guests and offer rice wine in ox horn cups. This is the highest etiquette of the Miao people for receiving distinguished guests, with each cup of wine representing blessings for a month. Afterward, you will walk along the stone-paved path to the Lusheng ground in the center of the village. Here, a wonderful Miao song and dance performance will take place, featuring toasting songs, Miao flying songs, and Lusheng dances in succession, leaving you mesmerized.
As an open-air museum of the Miao culture, the village exudes a rich ethnic flavor everywhere. Stroll among the stilted wooden houses (diaojiaolou) with a hundred years of history, traditionally built on stilts and scattered on the hillside in a well-arranged manner. The clothing here is also unique; the Miao residents are characterized by wearing long skirts, hence the name “Long Skirt Miao,” representing the most gorgeous branch of Miao costumes.
Next, you will drive from Langde to Rongjiang (approximately 1.5 hours) to visit Dali Dong Village (大利侗寨), an ancient Dong village with a long history, famous for its “five bridges and Siheyuan-style courtyards ” layout.
Inside the village, you’ll see five Dong-style wind-and-rain bridges, each over a century old and featuring distinct architectural styles. As you explore the traditional Dong dwellings, the most iconic is the Yang Family Courtyard, a unique wooden Siheyuan (courtyard house) that is the only Dong residence in the village built in the Han architectural style. The village lanes are paved entirely with bluestone slabs, laid during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, preserving an authentic historical ambiance.
At the heart of the village stands the iconic drum tower, an essential feature of every Dong village and a powerful symbol of clan unity and pride. Opposite the tower is the local opera stage, a venue for performances that sustain Dong culture. Since the Dong people do not have their own written language, the Dong Grand Song and Dong Opera bear the responsibility of cultural inheritance.
Surrounding Dali Dong Village, lush ancient trees thrive, including over 400 ancient Phoebe zhennan trees, embodying the Dong people’s traditional belief in the harmony between humanity and nature: “old people guarding the village, ancient trees protecting the settlement.“
After the tour, transfer to your hotel in Rongjiang for check-in.
After breakfast in Rongjiang, you will drive to Congjiang (approximately 2 hours, 90 kilometers) to begin today’s exploration.
Your first destination is the mysterious Biasha Miao Village (岜沙苗寨), known as “China’s Last Gunman Tribe.” Stepping through the village gate is like traveling back to an ancient era. The men wear dark blue cloth jackets and straight, wide-legged trousers, with firelocks and machetes hanging from their waists, displaying a heroic spirit. The men here start learning to shoot from a young age; for them, the firelock is both a tool for hunting and a weapon to protect their homes.
Biasha men are distinguished by their “Huge (户棍)” hairstyle, where the surrounding hair is shaved off with a sickle, leaving only a topknot in the center, symbolizing “harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity.” Boys’ hair is not cut from birth until their coming-of-age ceremony when elders shave it off with a sickle. It is said that this tradition has been passed down since the time of the legendary tribal leader Chiyou.
Furthermore, the Biasha people have worshipped trees since ancient times, and their grandest sacrificial ritual is the worship of the tree god. In Biasha, when a new life is born, the family will plant a tree in the forest representing that little life; when life ends, people will use this tree that accompanied them throughout their lives to make a coffin for burial, allowing them to rest peacefully.
In Biasha Miao Village, you will have the opportunity to witness unique folk performances, such as the sickle haircutting ceremony. You will see the gleaming sickle shaved hair close to the scalp, strand by strand falling. It looks quite thrilling to onlookers, but the barber and the person getting the haircut appear relaxed and at ease, showcasing the bravery and resilience of the Biasha people.
Next, you will visit Zhanli Dong Village (占里侗寨), a legendary and tranquil village where every household has exactly one son and one daughter. Legend has it that there was a female herbalist in Zhanli who used a herb called “Huanhua Grass” (herbal fertility tea) to balance the gender of fetuses. However, Zhanli also has ancestral rules stating that this herb can only be taken by villagers. Don’t be disappointed; even if you can’t uncover the secret of herbs, you will surely appreciate the peaceful life by the flowing stream near Zhanli Bridge. Also, don’t forget to look for the village’s “male well” and “female well,” which are said to be key medicinal guides for taking “Huanhua Grass.”
After your village visits, drive about 1.5 hours to Zhaoxing and check into your hotel.
Free Time Idea: Night View of Zhaoxing Dong Village
As night falls, Zhaoxing Dong Village glows with soft lights and quiet charm. Stroll through ancient alleys or climb to a viewpoint to admire the stilt houses and wind-and-rain bridges bathed in a gentle, dreamy glow.
Optional Experience:
Watch a Dong Grand Song performance and listen to this heavenly music, which has been listed by UNESCO as a “Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” These polyphonic songs, sung without instruments, are hauntingly beautiful and deeply moving.
Today, you will visit Zhaoxing Dong Village (肇兴侗寨) and experience the unique charm of this place, known as the “Number One Dong Village.” It is one of the largest and most well-preserved Dong villages in China.
Zhaoxing Dong Village is world-renowned for its spectacular drum tower complex. The village is home to over 6,000 residents, all from the Lu family line, divided into five major clans. Each clan forms a “group” or “tuan” – Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi, and Xin – representing the Confucian virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and integrity. Each “tuan” is centered around a drum tower and has its own drum tower, wind-and-rain bridge, and opera stage. The drum towers serve as gathering halls and are viewed as the spiritual and communal hearts of each group.
You can wander through the five “Tuan,” exploring each of the five uniquely styled drum towers, and appreciate the wisdom and exquisite architectural skills of the Dong people. Strolling across the wind and rain bridges, with the flowing water and gentle breeze, you will feel as if you are in a beautiful landscape painting. You can also walk up to the village gate viewpoint for a stunning panoramic view over the entire village.
Afterward, drive to Tangan Dong Village. Along the way, you will enjoy beautiful natural scenery and spectacular terraced fields. Tangan Dong Village (堂安侗寨) is located on a hilltop, surrounded by mountains on three sides and terraced fields. The stilted houses built along the mountain slopes are scattered in a well-arranged manner. You can explore its narrow paths, observe the daily life of the villagers, and also overlook the terraced fields, experiencing the tranquility and beauty of nature.
Finally, your guide will escort you to Congjiang Railway Station.
Extension Ideas: From Congjiang Railway Station, you can conveniently take a high-speed train to explore other popular destinations such as Guilin (about 1 hour), Yangshuo (1-1.5 hours), Guilin (1 hour), Guangzhou (3.5-4 hours), Chengdu (about 5 hours), Chongqing (3.5-4 hours), or Kunming (about 3.5 hours). You may also choose to return to Guiyang by high-speed train (about 2 hours).
Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your Guizhou Tour. We are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia. Safe journey!
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