Zhaoxing Dong Village is located on the border of Guizhou and Guangxi provinces. In Zhaoxing Dong Village, there are five drum towers, each representing one of the five good manners in Chinese tradition: benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and trust. They are not only symbols of good fortune and prosperity but also served various functions. In the past, they were used as warning devices against invasions. They are the tallest and most respected buildings in the village, acting as the political and cultural center where villagers gather to discuss important matters, hold festivals, and entertain guests.Dong people are good at chorus, batik and making embroidery.
Dong Drum Towers:
The drum towers are made entirely of wood without using a single nail or rivet. They look like pagodas from the outside, with imposing flying pavilion eaves. The structure is based on four large Chinese firs as the main pillars reaching the top floor, and other auxiliary pillars are fixed with horizontal and vertical wooden claws, connected with wooden tenons. The floor is usually square or hexagonal, and the facades have odd overlapping eaves, ranging from one to seventeen layers, with the height mostly around 20 meters. A cowhide drum is placed in the highest attic, and the top is a tented roof with gourd-shaped Buddhist ornamentation.
Opera Stages:
Architectural Style：The opera stages in Zhaoxing Dong Village are also typical of Dong architecture, usually made of wood and featuring exquisite carvings and paintings. They are simple yet elegant, in harmony with the surrounding natural and cultural environment.
Function：They serve as the venue for Dong opera performances and other cultural activities. During festivals and special occasions, local people will stage colorful Dong operas on these stages, showing the unique charm of Dong culture.
Dong Chorus
History and Characteristics：The Dong chorus has a history of more than 2,500 years and is a kind of polyphonic, non-conductor, non-accompaniment and natural chorus. It was listed as a world intangible cultural heritage in 2009. The songs cover various themes such as history, legends, love, and moral teachings, and one of the most distinctive is the "sound chorus" that imitates sounds from nature.
Performance Occasions：In Zhaoxing Dong Village, the Dong chorus is often performed in the drum tower or other public places. There are free open-air folk art performances every night, where visitors can enjoy the beautiful Dong chorus.
