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On the Trail of the Unique Dong Culture

There are over 400 wind-and-rain bridges in the villages of Liping, Rongjiang and Congjiang counties, and the bridges of Diping village in Liping County are the most outstanding example. They are a skillful combination of the railing-style structure popular in Dong villages, and the Han Chinese architectural style of bridge construction.

Diping village, in the southeastern point of Guizhou, very near the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has the second largest wind-and-rain bridge in China. Built in 1883, the bridge over the beautiful Nanpanjiang River is 70m long, 4.5m wide and 8m high. The whole bridge was built using wooden tongue and groove joints, without any nails or rivets. Like a long corridor with long benches on both sides, the bridge is perfect for a rest or providing shelter from the rain and wind in winter and from the burning sun in summer. It has three pavilion-style pagodas, with three halls underneath housing images of the local gods. On the pinnacle of the highest pagoda are four dragons guarding its treasures, signifying that the Dong village is well protected by its surrounding mountains. A Diping landmark, the bridge is also painted with more than 20 pictures from Dong's folklore.

The wind-and-rain bridges are also wonderful places for youngsters to gather. During the Spring Festival and on Mid-autumn Day, the Lusheng Pipe Gathering is the grandest and most joyous festival for the locals in Diping.


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