Shangsi Festival丨Come on~Come to the Dong Village to sing and party!

Today is the third day of the third lunar month

They belong to the Zhuang, Dong, Li, and She ethnic groups.

A festival where many ethnic groups celebrate together

March 3rd originated from the ancient Shangsi Festival

Developed among the southern ethnic minorities

The Zhuang people hold a singing festival on this day.

The Dong people grab fireworks and make glutinous rice cakes

The Li people perform bamboo pole dance

She ethnic group holds bonfire singing party

In Guangxi, where many ethnic groups gather

We have to take 3 days off to celebrate

(The main venue of the folk song festival of Guangxi March 3rd and Bagui Carnival, photographer @陈建飞)

▼

Among these nations

There is such an artistic team

They are natural singers.

I like to gather together to sing.

Often with the most beautiful tunes

Singing about ancient history

Enhance friendship among people

▼

They are natural architects.

Between the Mountains

More than 800 drum towers stand tall and steady

More than 400 wind and rain bridges are beautiful and dynamic

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Chengyang Bridge in Sanjiang, Guangxi, photographer @黄永佳)

▼

The emergence of the drum tower, wind and rain bridge and Dong ethnic group's grand song

Tell us everything

Already entered the homeland of the Dong people

(Drum Tower, Wind and Rain Bridge, and Dong ethnic group’s grand songs were called “Three Treasures of the Dong People” by Mr. Deng Minwen in the 1990s. The picture below is Zhaoxing Dong Village. Please watch it in horizontal mode. Photographer: @赵高翔)

▼

However, the nourishment of this melodious song and beautiful architecture

Not a naturally fertile land

Here are mountains and deep valleys.

The roads used to be rough and transportation was inconvenient.

(A Dong village hidden in the mountains, photographer @水冬青)

▼

For thousands of years

What kind of strength do the Dong people rely on?

Only then can it be firmly rooted in

In the deep valleys of the mountains?

01

settle down

The ancestors of the Dong people originated from the Baiyue tribe in the pre-Qin period

It was not until the Song Dynasty that an independent nation was differentiated.

(There is much controversy in the academic community about the origin and formation of the Dong ethnic group, and there is no definitive answer. Baiyue was a general term for the southern ethnic groups in ancient times. The picture below shows a stilt-style gray pottery house of Baiyue with Han style. The photographer is @川后, and the map is @大雄/星球研究院)

▼

Tang and Song Dynasties

The central dynasty implemented a relaxed control policy

Dong culture is allowed to grow freely

The forests are dense and the valleys are deep.

Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi contiguous areas

It has been the home of the Dong people for a long time.

(The policy of tributary control is the policy of the feudal dynasty towards ethnic minority areas, that is, under the premise of being subordinate to the central dynasty, most matters, big and small, are managed by the ethnic leaders themselves. The picture below is the Dali Dong Village in Rongjiang, Guizhou, deep in the mountains and valleys. Please watch it in horizontal screen. The photographer is @赵高翔)

▼

In the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang strengthened the border defense.

Developing military farms in the southwest

A large number of guard posts were set up

(Longli Ancient City was a garrison established during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. Photographer: @水冬青)

▼

Immigrants from afar

Most of them are from Jiangxi

They migrated here and settled

Gradually integrating with the cultural customs of the Dong ethnic group

(Gaoyi Ancient Village in Huitong, Huaihua, Hunan, the ancestors migrated from Jiangxi Han people, and later intermarried with the surrounding Miao and Dong ethnic minorities to achieve ethnic integration, picture source @Visual China)

▼

The influx of immigrants

It also changed the pattern of the Dong area

The Dong ethnic group's settlements began to divide into north and south

Towards different directions of development

The national culture has undergone a different transformation

(Northern Dong and Southern Dong have obvious differences in language, architecture, customs, clothing, etc. The following figure shows the distribution of northern and southern Dong dialects. Map by @Zheng Yi/Planet Research Institute)

▼

In the northern Dong area

The Qingshui River runs through it

Make this the royal timber supply place

(Qingshui River is the upper reaches of Yuanjiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. Photographer: Wei Jian)

▼

For example, Sanmentang, known as the "First Village of Northern Dong",

It was once the largest timber trading port in Northern Dong.

People from all over the world gather here

Diverse cultures blend here

(Sanmentang even absorbed Western elements in modern times. The picture below shows the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall, which was renovated in 1933 and imitates Gothic architecture. Photographer: @水冬青)

▼

In the southern Dong area

The trade of Duliu River stops at the towns along the river.

The cultural impact of business

Didn't have time to go deep into the mountains

(Please watch in horizontal mode. Duliu River is the upper reaches of Liujiang River, a tributary of Xijiang River. Photographer: @赵高翔)

▼

Compared with the northern Dong area

The Southern Dong region preserves more native culture

More dependent on agriculture

The mountains here are steep and surrounded by peaks.

There are Xuefeng Mountain in the east and Jiuwan Mountain in the west.

There is Yuecheng Ridge in the south and Foding Mountain in the north.

(Continuous snow-capped mountains, photographer @宋文君)

▼

Among the rolling hills

There are many rivers connecting

Forming a relatively closed

And the streams and caves that can communicate with each other

(Xidong has two meanings. One is the grassroots administrative unit established in the Tang and Song dynasties, and the other is the natural environment where the ancestors of southern ethnic minorities such as the Dong people lived. Please watch in horizontal mode. The eight villages of Chengyang, Guangxi, surrounded by mountains and rivers, photographer @梁炳全)

▼

To live in the mountains

The Dong people live in villages

02

Juzhai

In Southern Dong, there are many mountains and few fields.

Make the Dong people work hard and carefully in agriculture

There are public mountains around the village that are jointly maintained.

Even when the harvest is bad

Other villages will also try their best to help

(Dong villagers working in Tang'an Dong Village, photographer @赵高翔)

▼

The owners of these public properties

Often a large family with blood ties

In the Dong ethnic group, it is called the Fang clan.

The Fang clan worships the common direct ancestor

Similar to the Han clan

at first

There is only one clan in a village

But as the population increases

The big house owners will gradually split up

(There are also cases where multiple clans share resources and eventually integrate into one village. The picture below shows Huanggang Dong Village in Liping, Guizhou. The original two clans gradually multiplied and differentiated into five clans. The photographer is @赵高翔)

▼

Zhaoxing Dong Village, Liping, Guizhou

There are 12 families of different sizes.

In ancient times, five natural village groups were formed.

Today, we call it benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness.

(The five villages of Zhaoxing Dong Village all use drum towers as their symbols. Photographer: @王伟, map by @大雄/星球研究院)

▼

Multiple villages living together

Backed by mountains and facing the river

Protecting the villages and heading for the distance

(Aerial view of Zhaoxing Dong Village, photographer @尘月RoyChen)

▼

An environment with many mountains and few fields

Villages also need to save land

The houses not only avoid the fields

Also arranged in rows

(Densely packed Dong village houses, photographer @赵高翔)

▼

Granaries for storing grain and drying racks for drying grain

Back to back

Further saving of land

(Huanggang Dong Village Granary, Photographer @Teng Dongfeng, Map @Daxiong/Planet Research Institute)

▼

Even the narrow road under the house

It has also been transformed into a venue for celebrating festivals.

(Dong Village Long Table Banquet, Photographer @陶洪)

▼

When the population exceeds the land's capacity

Some tribesmen will move out of the old village.

One of the common patterns of splitting

People went up the river and built new villages.

As a result, each village can control its size.

The open space between villages can be used as farmland

Human settlement space and farmland in villages

Maintaining a harmonious relationship

(Please watch in horizontal mode, ideal distribution pattern of Dong villages, map by @张琪/Planet Research Institute)

▼

To solve the problem of cross-river traffic

There are often beautiful flower bridges next to the village.

Sitting here, the sound of water gurgling and the cool breeze

Best place for rest and conversation, shelter from the wind and rain

The Flower Bridge thus has a more poetic name

It is for the Wind and Rain Bridge

(Rongfu Wind and Rain Bridge next to Wangdong Township, Congjiang, Guizhou, photographer @李贵云)

▼

In Dong culture

The river symbolizes luck and wealth

Huaqiao has the mission of locking the water outlet and retaining wealth.

Usually everyone pools their money to build it.

Therefore, the construction of the Flower Bridge is quite particular.

For example, the 77-meter-long Sanjiang Chengyang Bridge

The eaves are high, like wings spread out

The bridge is beautifully carved with patterns and carvings

(Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge in Sanjiang, Guangxi, photographer @李贵云)

▼

Puxiu Bridge in Hunan Channel

The bridge pavilion in the middle has as many as seven layers of dense eaves

The wing corners are raised and the curves are soft

As if in the reflection of the water

Admire your graceful figure

(Hunan Tongdao Puxiu Bridge, image source @Visual China)

▼

Each floor of the middle bridge pavilion

Decorated with lions, phoenixes, turtles and curling grass

On top of the towering pagoda

There is also a clay blue bird standing there

(Bridge Pavilion of Puxiu Bridge in Tongdao, Hunan Province, photographer @李贵云)

▼

The Batuan Bridge in Dudong, Guangxi

Although there are only three bridge pavilions

The bridge, which is more than 50 meters long,

Divided into rhythmic movements

A more clever idea is

It also has three-dimensional transportation for people and animals

The animal path is 1.9 meters high and 1.4 meters wide.

Just the right size to accommodate a cow

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Batuan Wind and Rain Bridge in Sanjiang, Guangxi, map by @Daxiong/Planet Research Institute)

▼

On the ditch in the village

The wind and rain bridge will also become smaller

(The small wind and rain bridge in Tang'an Dong Village has been rebuilt. Image source: Visual China)

▼

These Dong villages along the valley waterside

Like beads

Connected by wind and rain bridges

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the eight villages of Chengyang, Sanjiang, Guangxi, connected by streams and rivers, photographer @老J, map @大雄/星球研究院)

▼

The Dong people use their own construction wisdom

The limited living space

Become self-sufficient

A poetic paradise

(Xindi Village, Congjiang, Guizhou, surrounded by trees, photographer @李贵云)

▼

However

Facing external intrusion and disputes

They will join hands

Let's guard our own paradise together

03

alliance

Living resources in mountainous areas are extremely limited

Friction between different groups is inevitable

Therefore, the population size of the village was expanded.

Becoming the only choice for the Dong people's defense

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the Zhaoxing Dong Village with a large population, photographer @赵高翔)

▼

In the past, even if the scale was large

The power of a village is always limited

To connect the homes scattered in the mountains

The Dong people have their own wisdom

Through its own institutional arrangements

Internally, to stop disputes within the tribe and to have a high degree of autonomy

Preventing external threats of predation and effectively defending oneself

In some Dong areas in Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi

There is a legend that "Yang Zaisi raised funds to save Feishan"

The paragraphs mentioned

(Kuant: Kuant)

It is an alliance of Dong villages.

(Sketch of the hierarchical relationship of Dong style, drawn by @Daxiong/Planet Research Institute)

▼

When faced with different situations

There will be different forms

The most common is the small

Usually formed by the union of neighboring villages

Members of the association invite each other to hold a party

Civil disputes between villages can also be resolved with a small amount of money

(Distribution diagram of some small items in the Dong ethnic group area, map by @郑艺/Planet Research Institute)

▼

In the chaotic times

Small funds will unite to form large funds

If you encounter a major crisis

A military alliance will be formed

For the United Big Money

(Huanggang Dong Village is called "Baiwu Huanggang", which means that 150 households in Huanggang once participated in a joint fund in the past. Photographer @赵高翔)

▼

Recalling the Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty

Wu Mian led the Dong peasant uprising

Build 200,000 popular

The largest joint venture in history

Words that have been passed down to this day

You can also get a glimpse of the grand occasion of that year

“In the past, we were rich.

The head is in Guzhou and the tail is in Liuzhou

Guzhou is the roof, Liuzhou is the base"

(The above quote is from the poem "We Were Rich in the Past", Guzhou is in Rongjiang, Guizhou today. The picture below is the sunrise sea of ​​clouds in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, Liuzhou, Guangxi, photographer @梁嘉俊)

▼

What is quite special is

Despite the huge size of the

The first person does not enjoy any special powers

On weekdays, I work on the farm like everyone else.

Only show up when handling affairs

Coordinate relationships according to the rules

This so-called rule

It is a contract jointly formulated by all parties.

The contract maintains the operation of the fund

As important as the law

The Dong people had no written language in the past

Only through word of mouth

Continuing the covenant passed down from generation to generation

(The first paragraph is about the paragraph in the paragraph field, the map is @Daxiong/Planet Research Institute)

▼

Since then, the former Dong people

Use Dong money to handle internal and external affairs

The friendship among the tribesmen is also deepened through the Dongkuan

Living a life with laws but no "officials"

A kingdom without a king

(The above is quoted from Deng Minwen & Wu Hao's "A Kingdom Without a King: A Study of Dong Style". The picture below shows a lively Dong ethnic group banquet, photographer @黄永佳)

▼

Today, although Dongkuan has been lost in the dust of history

But the villages still maintain close ties.

Especially the Dong people like to visit each other regularly.

It means " moon " (Dong language: weex yeek)

There are two full months.

Once as a guest, once as a host

The etiquette of hospitality should be very grand

Not only do we have to get together and drink and chat

The host and guest teams also play the Lusheng as a courtesy.

(Lusheng Yueye in Zhaoxing Dong Village in 2019, photographer @张庆巍)

▼

Among young men and women

There are also exclusive social activities

This is for " singing and sitting in the moonlight "

(Singing and moon-watching is a custom in the southern Dong ethnic group. In the northern Dong ethnic group, it is called "Wan Shan Liang Yue" and the form is slightly different. The picture below shows the singing and moon-watching in Dali Dong Village. Photographer: @李贵云)

▼

Mutual assistance and friendship formed over the years

Already rooted in the genes of the Dong people

They worked the fields together

Planting rice seedlings and harvesting grains

You can invite neighbors to help with labor

(In 2022, the Tang'an Dong Village terraced fields are busy with collective production, photographer @赵高翔)

▼

They built houses together

In addition to professional carpentry needs

The rest of the process was done by friendly neighbors free of charge.

(Everyone builds houses together in Gaoan Dong Village, Sanjiang, Guangxi in 2019, photographer @Visual China)

▼

However

Outside of a stable living environment

A spiritual universe that worships ancestors and gods

It is the bond that maintains the close identity of the ethnic group.

04

Ethnic Group

In the Dong people's concept

People and various gods

Living in a world

Blessed by the gods

Among them, the heroine Sa Sui

It has special significance to the Dong people

She can protect the country and the people.

Protecting the land and water

The Sama Festival to worship Satsui

Always a grand occasion

(Please watch in horizontal screen, the scene of the Sama Festival of the Dong ethnic group. Sama or Sasi is the transliteration of the Dong language, which means great grandmother. She is the incarnation of the common ancestor of the Dong people and also the legendary heroine of the matriarchal society. Photographer @李贵云)

▼

The ritual of offering sacrifice to the Sa is often performed around the Sa altar.

First, singing and dancing will invite Sasui out.

Then lead them around the village

Ask her to bless her descendants

(Satan is the place for worshipping Sasui. The picture below is the open-air Satan in Dali Dong Village, photographer @柒哥, map @大雄/星球研究院)

▼

In the grand procession of priests

The goddess image is not usually seen

Symbolizes "Sasui"

Only the umbrella in the leader's hand

(The Sama Festival procession, photographer @李贵云)

▼

In the Dong people's world of faith

Sasui is a noble deity.

Like a kind grandmother

Not only protect your descendants

Other gods are also needed.

As the original Satan

The soul of the old man rests under the hill

On the hill is an umbrella that protects the year of Sa

(Schematic diagram of the composition and symbolism of the original Satan, drawn by @Daxiong/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

In the center of the village

There is also another "giant umbrella" for protection.

That is the eye-catching and tall Drum Tower

(The drum tower is the visual focus of the Dong village, photographer @柯博仁)

▼

The name "Drum Tower" originally came from the Han people's fabrication

In fact, the original purpose of the Drum Tower was not to beat the drum to announce news.

The Dong people call him "Tangka"

Meaning "house of the checkpoint"

The inspiration for its construction

Probably from the dense forests of the Dong area.

(Dense forests in Southeast Guizhou, image source: Visual China)

▼

The ancestors of the Dong people lived under the fir trees

The cedar tree is the patron saint of the gods

They used simple structures to protect the sacred tree.

Over time

Buildings to protect cedar trees are becoming more complex

The image of the fir tree gradually transformed into a handsome drum tower.

(From the evolution of cedar trees to drum towers, there are different opinions in the academic community about the origin of drum towers. This article refers to the cedar origin theory, one of the academic views. Map by @Daxiong/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

Like the earliest drum tower

There is a sturdy single column in the middle

Still retains the shape of a cedar tree

(Sketch of the single-column drum tower in Shudong, Liping, Guizhou, drawn by @Daxiong/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

Standing under the Drum Tower, looking up

The central column is straight, like a tall tree trunk

The horizontal beams are densely packed, like scattered branches.

The dense eaves are stacked like shady branches and leaves

(Looking up at Sanjiang Drum Tower, photographer @梁杰)

▼

As the village expands

The Drum Tower began to change

The number of layers is getting higher

The image is becoming more diverse

(Dali Dong Village Drum Tower, photographer @李珩)

▼

On top of the tower that is retracted layer by layer

There is also a gorgeous honeycomb roof

(The honeycomb is the decorative part of the top of the drum tower. The picture below is the drum tower of Sanbao Dong Village in Rongjiang, Guizhou, photographer @李贵云)

▼

Even some Dong villages have gates.

I also like to use the image of the top of the bao

(The gate of Zhaoxing Dong Village, photographer @张云浩)

▼

Under the starry sky

They are like tall cedar trees.

(Drum Tower of Xiaohuang Dong Village, Congjiang, Guizhou, photographer @柒哥)

▼

No matter how the external form changes

The Dong people’s beliefs embodied in the Drum Tower remain unchanged

Under the shade of the Drum Tower

The Dong people live peacefully like this

(Shangxiang Village, Boyang Town, Tongdao Dong Autonomous County, Huaihua City, Hunan Province, photographer @李贵云)

▼

They like to enjoy the shade of the Drum Tower

It can be a serious meeting

You can also chat and chat easily

(Chatting under the drum tower of Zhaoxing Dong Village, photographer @柒哥)

▼

They also like to sing and dance in front of the drum tower

Songs are the most important spiritual food

"Without farming, you can't make a living.

How can we live without singing folk songs?

Food nourishes the body, songs nourish the heart

To survive, we must sing folk songs.

(The above quote is from the Dong folk song "Ga Ren Lao", "Ga" means song. The picture below shows the grand singing in front of the drum tower of Xiaohuang Dong Village, photographer @李贵云)

▼

Dong songs are the communication between people and villages.

A tool for etiquette and emotional communication

Make friends through songs, build friendship through songs

Telling stories with songs, falling in love with songs

This is the correct way to open Dong songs

(Clay sculpture of a drum tower in Zhaoxing Dong Village playing and singing pipa songs, photographer @刘艳晖)

▼

Different living environments

The Dong people also have a rich ballad system

The northern Dong songs are full of ups and downs, high pitch and passionate

Southern Dong songs are soothing, lingering, and implicit.

The singing styles are also very diverse

A heartfelt love song

Singing and dancing in the hall

Funny roadblock song

Pipa narrative song combined with rap

It is simply an "ocean of song"

(Pipa song played and sung, photographer @李贵云)

▼

The most stunning music of all

A great song with a multi-part chorus

The treble part is led by capable people in turn.

The bass part is sung by the chorus

No accompaniment, no conductor

But we must achieve one person leading and all others following, and harmony of voices

It depends on the tacit understanding of the singers

(Demonstration of the Dong ethnic group's drum tower song show, drawn by @Daxiong & Zhang Qi/Planet Research Institute)

▼

The Dong language has a variety of rhythms and tones

Let the singing of Dong songs always be melodious and beautiful

At the same time and with rhythmic dance steps

Everyone danced and sang

It is for the joy of the festival.

(The 18th Dong Doye Festival and the 6th Dong Doye Competition were held in Sanjiang, Guangxi in 2021. Image source: Visual China)

▼

Long agricultural civilization

Stable rural society

Let the Dong village be anchored between the mountains and streams

(Villagers in Pingyan Village, Sanjiang, Guangxi, go down to the river to pick up aquatic plants, photographer @柳叶氘)

▼

But with the impact of urbanization

Groups of young people take the high-speed rail to work in the south

The once free and self-sustaining Dongjia society

It is inevitable that it will decline

(Old people in Tang'an Village, Liping, Guizhou, photographer @吕威)

▼

However, even though many traditional

Lost in the long river of history

But the collective spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance

Already integrated into the blood genes of the Dong people

(Xianrenshan Tea Garden in Buyang Village, Sanjiang, Liuzhou, Guangxi, image source: Visual China)

▼

Today

They still like to sing and dance together

Still singing in the song

"It is difficult to weave cloth from a single piece of cotton yarn!

A drop of dew cannot create a wave

How many poles are needed to lift a wooden beam?

Building a new house requires help from everyone.”

(Field performance by the Dong people in Rongjiang, Guizhou, photographer @Qu Wenben)

▼

They still love collective entertainment festivals

During the New Year, people sing and dance.

(Villagers in Dingdong, Congjiang, Guizhou celebrate the Spring Festival in a singing hall. Image source: @Visual China)

▼

From time to time, they gathered in front of the stage in the village.

Enjoy the Dong Opera with relish

(Dong opera performance in Dali Dong Village, photographer @李贵云)

▼

The collective activities of the festival are naturally indispensable.

There are hundreds of festivals throughout the year.

In addition to March 3rd, there are various song festivals

June 6, Mid-Autumn Festival, Life Festival, Bridge Respect Festival

Lusheng Festival, Fireworks Festival, Bullfighting Festival, Zupo Festival

Linwang Festival, New Year's Eve Festival, Dong New Year, Surname Festival

Wait, wait, wait…

One village, one village, one clan, one surname

There is even a special festival

In Jianhegou Cave, Guizhou

People participate in the Ongpu Festival to honor their ancestors

Looking back at the hard work of our ancestors

Reaffirm the spirit of sharing weal and woe

(Wengpu Festival in Jianhegoudong Village, Guizhou, image source: @Visual China)

▼

In Huanggang, Liping, Guizhou

Every even-numbered year, the first month

Everyone parades around the village to celebrate

Organize activities to carry officials

Commemorating the heroes who protected the village

(Carrying an official in Huanggang, Liping, Guizhou, photographer @李贵云)

▼

In addition to celebrating the festival together

They also enjoy team competition

Often with friends and neighbors

Comparing talents

(In 2017, in Shuidainian Township, Guangxi, Miao and Dong people competed in playing the Lusheng. Image source: @Visual China)

▼

This super strong cohesion

Empowering them to embrace the present moment

Ancient village with a long cultural heritage

Still exuding vitality

(The rising star of the Zhaoxing Dong Village Lusheng Team, photographer @姚璐)

▼

Thousands of years of traditional craftsmanship

Still shining in the modern era

(Please watch in horizontal mode. Dong craftsmen are working on the Yiyang Wind and Rain Bridge in Sanjiang, Liuzhou, Guangxi in 2022. Image source: @Visual China)

▼

Just like their favorite songs

The Dong people use their own philosophy of life

Let life remain like a song

For thousands of years, this kind of "Dong listening"

(Dong Nian Songs and Dances in Zhaoxing Dong Village, Photographer @王伟)

▼

This article was created by

Written by : Yelu Editor : Dingding

Image : Grateful Heart Design : Daxiong & Zhang Qi

Map : Zheng Yi Cover Photographer : Zou Tao

Proofreading : Tingting & Honghe & Chen Zhihao

Audit Expert

Giant Cave by Soochow University Golden Mantis School of Architecture

Zhang Qingwei, a folk scholar of Dong culture

【References】You can scroll up and down to view

[1]Editing Group of A Brief History of the Dong Nationality. A Brief History of the Dong Nationality[M]. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House, 2008.

[2] The Complete Works of Chinese Minority Design (Compiled by the Compilation Committee); Long Zhaobao et al. The Complete Works of Chinese Minority Design (Volume 1 of the Dong Nationality)[M]. Taiyuan: Shanxi People's Publishing House, 2019.

[3] Li Dezhu and Liang Tingwang, eds. Encyclopedia of Chinese Ethnic Groups 11: Buyi, Dong, Shui, and Gelao [M]. Xi’an World Book Publishing Co., Ltd., 2015.

[4] Ju Kaifu. Study on the Genealogy of Southern Dong Folk Architecture[M]. Nanjing: Southeast University Press, 2021.

[5] Cai Ling. Traditional villages and architecture in the Dong ethnic group settlement area[M]. Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press, 2007.

[6] Liu Hongbo. The Architecture and Culture of Dong Ethnic Group’s Wind and Rain Bridges[M]. Changsha: Hunan University Press, 2016.

[7] Wang Hongjun, Tan Lei. Living by the water, singing to the fire: Dong villages and architecture in southeastern Guizhou[J]. Architectural Heritage, 2019.

[8] Liao Junxiang. Traditional social process and social life of the Dong people[M]. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House, 2009.

[9] Liao Junxiang. Research on the characteristics of traditional culture of the southern Dong nationality[M]. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House, 2007.

[10] Xu Xiaoguang. Contract Law: A Historical Anthropological Study of the Customary Law of the Dong Nationality in Southeast Guizhou[M]. Xiamen: Xiamen University Press, 2012.

[11] Shi Kaizhong. Research on the Dong Nationality’s Organization and Its Changes[M]. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House, 2009.

[12] Deng Minwen and Wu Hao. A Kingdom without a King: A Study of Dongkuan[M]. Beijing: China Social Sciences Press, 1995.

[13] Zhang Guihua, Deng Guanghua. An Introduction to Dong Nationality’s Great Songs[M]. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2016.