Description: Dong nationality (侗族) mainly inhabits juncture of Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi. On the basis of the census in 2010, Dong nationality has a population of 2,870,000.
Language: Dong language
Religion: They believe in natural matters such as ancient tree, huge stone, well, bridge, etc.. Femal god “Sasui” is supreme for Dong people.
Clothing Character: Dong people usually make clothes by themselves, being fond of blue, purple, white and cyan. The clothing is different between North Dong nationality and South Nationality. Clothing of South Dong is very elegant. Women are skilled in embroidering. The collar and sleeve of women’s coat are inlayed embroidery with patter of dragon and phoenix. They wear silver hair pin or crown on the heard and layers of necklace, bangle, eardrop and waistdrop.
Food Culture: Dong people are engaged in both rice and fish. They eat four meals a day. The tea of Dong nationality refers to camellia that is made from tea, rice, fried peanut, crisp soya, sticky rice, meat, salt, chopped green onion and tea-seed oil. Vegetables are often pickled into sauerkraut. Ginger is preserved into all sorts of pickled vegetables, sale to everywhere.
Architecture: Drum Tower of Dong Village (侗寨鼓楼) is the most significant mark of Dong village and the symbol and representative of Dong culture. It covers an area of 10 square meters with a height of more than 20 meters. The magic gourd or crane built on the top of the tower symbolizes the peace of Dong village.
Wind-rain bridge (风雨桥) is unique in Dong village, consisting of bridge, tower and pavilion. It is constructed with wood, set up handrail and bench on both side. Tower and pavilion are build up on piers of the bridge. It forms a corridor for public to seek shelter from wind and rain.
Arts: Kam Grand Choirs (侗族大歌) is a kind of folk choral music without director and accompany, performed by folk parabasis in Dong nationality. The performer is more, the effect is better. They often hold antiphonal singing competition among villages.
Dong opera (侗戏) is dated back to the early of the 19th century, created by Wu Wencai (1798-1845). It is developed from the primary rap poetry. Accompanying with Huqin, drum, gong and hairpin, it needn’t make facial makeup, just wear Dong clothing.
Dong women is skilled in embroidery. Usually, they embroiders all kinds of patterns on clothes such as figure, animals, flowers, grass and insect, vividly and colorfully.
Add On:Hmong Nationality
Yi Nationality
Tibetan Nationality
Buyi Nationality
Sophie

