Dong nationality drum towers

The Dong ethnic group is distributed in the juncture of Hunan, Guangxi and Guizhou. Free from too much religious influence, a primitive sorcery prevailed among the people, so that, unlike many other nationalities, the Dong nationality's architectural artistic achievements are not manifested in religious structures. Instead, there are mainly folk public buildings, such as drum towers and storm-proof bridges, containing more folk customs and features.

Like many other minority nationalities, the Dong's privacy concept is not strong, there fore their houses are all Outward-looking. They lack encircling walls and courtyards commonly seen in residences of the Han nationality. In Dong villages, there are many contacts between families and village-wide activities, Such as song and dance celebrations, discussions of official business, group chats and day-to-day social contacts. All these activities are carried out in the open ground before the drum towers at the village center. The drum tower level ground is also called Lusheng (a weed pipe instrument) level ground, i.e. a stretch of level ground in front of the drum tower, where there is often a simple stage. The drum tower exists in each village, and in some cases, not just one. There are more than 5oo drum towers in all. "Gulou", called "tangWa" in the Dong language, is a public council hall, also called "BoShun" meaning "soul of the village".

Dong nationality drum towers can be divided into two kinds-pagoda type and hall type, with the former accounting for the majority The Zengchong Drum Tower in Congjiang of Guizhou is typical. It is also a best-shaped pagoda-type drum tower, being octagonal, 11-eaved the eave ends slightly upturned. On the top rises a multi-eaved, octagonal finial pavilion. The eave angle is more upturned, and the overall outline is changeable, beautiful in style and about 20 meters high. Dong legend has it that the drum tower was built in accordance with the sample of the "king of cedar", and the overall outline of the Dong nationality drum tower really looks like a cedar, embodying the concept of worshipping big trees. Inside, four big pillars stand erect, and benches between the pillars encircle the central fire-pond. A big drum hangs down from the top of the tower, and is beaten whenever something happens. The pagoda-type pagoda is also in a hexagonal or square form in addition to the octagonal.

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