Zhaoxing Dong Village

Zhaoxing is divided into five clan groups, and each built its own set of communal structures, so the village holds five drum towers, tall pagoda-like timber structures where the community gathers and disputes are settled, along with five wind-and-rain bridges and five opera stages, all assembled without nails. Around a thousand households live in timber houses along a stream in a valley of rice terraces. The Dong grand song, a polyphonic choral tradition sung without instruments or conductor, is inscribed by UNESCO and performed here, and terrace viewpoints above the village are reached on foot or by shuttle.

What you actually see

• The five drum towers - one for each clan, built without nails.
• The wind-and-rain bridges - covered crossings over the village stream.
• The Dong grand song - polyphonic choral singing performed in the village.
• The terraces above - rice fields on the slopes around the valley.

When to go

April to October, with terraces flooded in spring and gold in September; winter is cold and damp but quiet. Performances run daily. Holidays crowd the village heavily.

Honest expectations

Entry is charged and the village has developed fast since the railway arrived. Performances are scheduled for visitors. Accommodation is simple guesthouses and English is rare.

Nearby

Basha lies west; Jiabang terraces are nearby.