Tang’an Dong Ethnic Minority Village (堂安侗寨) is located in Liping County, Guizhou Province, with an elevation of approximately 935 meters. This Dong ethnic village has a history spanning over 700 years, with more than 800 Dong people residing in scattered homes between the “Banbai” and “Jiding” mountain ranges. The majority of the houses face north-south, and the village is primarily inhabited by the Ying and Lu surnames, along with the Pan, Lan, Wu, Yang, and Shi surnames, all living together harmoniously.
Tang’an is one of the four ecological and cultural conservation areas sponsored by Norway in Guizhou. It is a genuine pastoral world surrounded by mountains with crisscrossing paths. Starting from the entrance of Zhaoxing Village, passing through the halfway point of Xiage Village, and reaching the mountain-top Tang’an Village, the route is almost entirely surrounded by terraced fields. This trail is celebrated as a classic hiking route, taking about 3 hours to traverse. Throughout the journey, the landscape is adorned with rolling peaks, cascading terraced fields, and houses nestled on the mountainside, creating a picturesque and orderly scene.
Table of Contents
- Basic Information
- Location and Transportation
- Highlights of Tang’an Dong Village
- Vlog about Tang’an Dong Village
- Other Attractions in Liping County
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 3 hours |
| Ticket Price | Free |
| Opening Hours | 24 hours a day throughout the year |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0855-6130558 |
Location and Transportation
Tang’an Dong Village is situated in Zhaoxing Township, Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province. It is approximately 8 kilometers away from the Zhaoxing Township government office and about 75 kilometers from Liping County.
To reach Tang’an Dong Village:
- Take a high-speed train to Congjiang Station (从江站). Upon arrival, head to the right side, where you’ll find the “Dongxiang Long-Distance Bus Station.” Look for the minibus to Zhaoxing Dong Village. Purchase a ticket on the bus (approximately 10 yuan per person), with the last bus departing around 8:30 PM.
- Upon arriving at Zhaoxing Dong Village, walk 100 meters forward to find sightseeing buses within the scenic area at the “Zhaoxing Dong Village Parking Lot.” Board a minibus (purchase a round-trip ticket for about 20 yuan per person) to Tang’an Dong Village. Basically, Zhaoxing Dong Village is at the foot of the mountain, while Tang’an is at the mountain’s summit.
- After getting off the minibus, you’ll need to walk 1.5 kilometers uphill to reach the top. Alternatively, you can opt to take a local private car for 5 yuan per person.
Highlights of Tang’an Dong Village
Three Gems of the Dong Village
Tang’an Dong Village boasts three cultural treasures, known as the “Three Gems of the Dong Village: Drum Tower, Grand Song, and Wind and Rain Bridge,” and it doesn’t disappoint.
Drum Tower: Standing prominently in the center of the village, the towering Drum Tower is a distinctive landmark. In Dong ethnic villages, the Drum Tower is not just a building; it serves as a gathering place for meetings and discussions, often symbolizing a condensed spiritual home for the community.
Stage by the Drum Tower: Adjacent to the Drum Tower, the stage is where the Dong people showcase their artistic talents. During Dong opera performances, the atmosphere is lively and festive, with performers on stage passionately singing, and the audience below thoroughly enjoying the show.
Wind and Rain Bridge: Originally constructed to provide shelter for those working in the fields, the Wind and Rain Bridge is a picturesque addition to the village. However, its most cherished moments come when unmarried Dong youth gather on the bridge, especially on summer nights. As groups of young men play traditional instruments like the pipa, they serenade their beloved on the opposite side with enchanting love songs. Meanwhile, young women engage in needlework, using various song lyrics to test the wit and sentiment of the young men. The Wind and Rain Bridge becomes a vibrant and romantic meeting place, filled with the melodies of music and the poetic exchange of affection.
Piao Well
Perched beside the Drum Tower, there is a refreshing spring known as Piao Well. This well, flowing steadily throughout the four seasons, provides coolness in summer and warmth in winter. Constructed with blue stones, the well resembles a wooden ladle, hence its name. Piao Well is crucial to Tang’an’s existence at an altitude of 935 meters, ensuring a vital water source. The clear and sweet water from Piao Well is not only cherished by the villagers but also draws residents from as far as 7 kilometers away in Zhaoxing, who regularly come to collect its pristine water.
Tang’an Terraced Fields
En route from Zhaoxing to Tang’an, the landscape is adorned with vast and enchanting terraced fields, a spectacle to behold. During spring, the terraced fields, filled with spring water, resemble mirrors reflecting the sunlight, creating a dazzling white expanse. In summer, the slopes are covered with lush green seedlings, a vibrant sea of green. Autumn transforms the scenery into a golden-hued panorama of ripened rice, while winter imparts a serene atmosphere with a sense of mountain chill and slender water streams. What makes Tang’an’s terraced fields unique is their construction – unlike most terraced fields made of mud, these fields are meticulously crafted with stones. Perhaps due to the steep terrain and abundance of stones in the mountains, creating flat land for cultivation was challenging, leading to the innovative use of stones to build these terraced marvels.
I witnessed the most beautiful sunset of the year at Tang’ang Dong Village, and I was truly captivated by the stunning mountains, waters, and scenery of Guizhou.
Although it’s now deep autumn nearing winter, it looks like a lot of green vegetables are being grown on the mountain. It’s still worth coming to see from Zhaoxing, but unfortunately, it’s been overcast in Guizhou lately.
The old street in Zhaoxing Dong Village is highly commercialized and lacks variety. It’s mostly filled with milk tea shops, restaurants, and bars, along with travel photography services, which makes for a rather uninteresting stroll. If we hadn’t rented a car to go to Tang’an Terraced Fields and witnessed the beautiful sunset and evening glow, I would have really felt that the trip wasn’t worth it.
In the rain, the Tang’an Dong Village is serene and beautiful.
The sunset was absolutely stunning. If you go up around six or seven in the afternoon, it’s just perfect—not too hot, with a nice breeze and very pleasant. However, descending is really exhausting!
Tang’an Dong Village is not very big, it can be explored in about twenty minutes. Upon entering the village, there is a dessert shop called Chu Jian Sweet Shop, and on the second floor, there is a nice view for taking photos. Near the drum tower, on the right-hand side, there is a map. Starting from there, you can head to the terraced fields.
Today when I went down, I found that due to the rain causing flooding, almost half of the stepping stones were underwater, and the water flow was very fast and dangerous. For those planning to hike this trail in the next few days, please be extremely careful.