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People of the 'Wind and Rain' Bridge: China's Dong Nationality
| Article
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10521 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
1 / 1993 |
2,238 Words |
| Author
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Gail Rossi
Gail Rossi lived in Beijing with her family from 1980 to 1989.
During that time she traveled extensively throughout China's
southwest, researching traditional folk arts and customs of
the region's ethnic peoples. Rossi has organized an exhibit of
Guizhou's ethnic textiles, which is touring the United States,
and has published over twenty articles pertaining to southwest
China's arts and customs, as well as one book on the Dong
nationality. She currently is writing a book about the folk
arts found in China's central Yellow River region and,
together with her husband, Tony, leads specialized tours to
China. |
In the shade of a roofed "wind and rain" bridge, seventeen-year-old Wu Feifang intently embroiders. She is working delicate patterns into narrow strips of cloth. She handwove the cloth from cotton that her father grew in nearby fields. The designs are of ancient origin, handed down from her mother and grandmother. It's a sweltering, humid summer day, but here, seated on a low stool near a mountain brook, young Wu has time to anticipate the coming festival. With each stitch she thinks of meeting someone special--an as-yet--unknown young man from another Dong village, possibly several mountain ranges away.
A serene atmosphere reigns throughout the river valleys inhabited by China's Dong nationality. Because of southwest China's geographical isolation and rugged, mountains terrain, the Dong have had little contact with outside groups. This seclusion has helped preserve the richness of their cultural past. They are excellent musicians, superb architects, and makers of high-quality textiles. It is during seasonal festivals that these hallmarks of Dong tradition are most beautifully manifest.
Since ancient times, the Dong have dwelt primarily in the remote areas where Guizhou, Hunan, and Guangxi provinces meet. References to the Dong can be found in Chinese historical sources as far back as the Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.). The Dong are believed to have originated from a branch of the ancient "Luo Yue" people and are known to have lived in Guizhou during the end of the Eastern Han dynasty (A.D. 25-220). Today the Dong may be classified into two major groups, the so-called northern and southern branches. It is the southern Dong, from the remote southern areas of Guizhou, Hunan, and Guangxi, who have retained the most of their distinctive culture.
Architecture
Dong villages have a uniqueness that separates them from those of neighboring nationalities such as the Miao and Yao. A drum tower, with its formation of tiered, multistory roofs, dominates the landscape of a typical Dong village. The tower, the tallest and most revered structure in the village, is constructed without nails, a testimony to the architectural skills of the Dong. A long drum, made of a hollowed tree trunk, hangs within the tower and formerly served as a warning device against invaders. In ancient days, villagers assembled here during times of strife to await orders from the heads of their clan. Today, the tower is where villagers congregate for festivals, special meetings, or just to relax and talk. In a large village, each clan may have its own drum tower.
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