Customs of the Dong

The Dong people, with a population of 2514014, are mainly distributed in the counties of Qiandongnan, Yuping, Xinhuang, Tongdao, Zhijiang and Sanjiang, which are adjacent to Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi provinces (regions).

The Dong nationality is mainly engaged in agriculture, mainly growing rice, specializing in glutinous grains, with Xiangwo glutinous being the most famous. A few people are engaged in forestry, and it is also very common to raise fish in ponds and paddy fields.

The name of Dong nationality was firstly "仡 伶" in the literature of Song Dynasty. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were other names such as "Dong barbarian", "Dong Miao", "Dong people", "Dong family" and so on. After the founding of New China, they are collectively known as the Dong ethnic group. Folks are often called "Dong family".

The Dong have their own language, which belongs to the Dong Shui branch of the Zhuang-Dong language of the Han-Tibetan language family. Originally there was no national script, but the Dong script was created in the 1950s. Nowadays, most of them generalize the Chinese language.

The Dong region has always been known as "the hometown of poetry and the ocean of songs". Dong poems have strict rhymes and diverse subjects, especially the multi-part unaccompanied Dong songs which are the best part of traditional culture and have precious values in literature and music.

The Dong people are good at architecture. The architectural art of Dong village, such as drum tower and rain and wind bridges, which have exquisite structure and various forms, are representative. Dong brocade, Dong cloth, flower picking, embroidery and silver crafts fully express the colorful traditional cultural characteristics of the Dong.

The Dong People - Folk Houses

The Dong people live in the adjoining areas of Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi provinces, with most of them in Guizhou. Due to the differences in the living environment and language habits, the Dong in Guizhou are divided into two parts: the "Northern Dong" and the "Southern Dong". The houses in the two areas have their own characteristics. The houses in the North Dong area are very similar to those of the local Han Chinese, generally one-story, four-bay, three-room wooden buildings. The roofs are covered with small green tiles and surrounded by wooden walls or adobe walls. Some of the Dong ethnic minority houses in the front of the main house under the second floor, the horizontal waist to build a cloak eaves, which increases the use of space under the eaves, forming a spacious front porch, easy to take a break to cool off.

South Dong region has a distinctive local characteristics of residential and rich ethnic characteristics. It is located in the southern foothills of the Miao Mountains, with streams running all over the place, gullies and ravines, and murmuring water. The local Dong compatriots, relying on the mountains and water, building houses. Due to the influence of the mountainous terrain and humid climate, almost all of them are built dry-roofed footstools. The downstairs is used as a pig and cow pen, and the upstairs is used as a living room. The Southern Dong region is rich in cedar wood, the residential buildings are large in size and the height of the houses is very unusual. In the Dong villages covered with bamboo and trees, the houses are five meters wide and three or four stories high. Three or four-story behemoths abound. If there is a tall and spacious building, the landlord is particularly virtuous, but also can sing and dance, intelligent "girl head", will naturally become a young man and woman to talk about love, "singing and sitting on the moon" ideal place, the Dong compatriots call it "moon hall". At nightfall, the Dong students receive the "Guoji" (a musical instrument shaped like a cow's leg, called the "cow's leg qin") and come to the "Moon Hall" to sing love songs with the Dong nuns who spin and embroider flowers in the hall. The girl is spinning (embroidery) and singing, and the young man is pulling himself up and singing, and the atmosphere is cheerful.

Many Dong folk dwellings to fir wood for the column, fir board for the wall, fir skin for the "tile", all the fir family, all fir world, extremely rich in national characteristics. Some Dong folk houses are skillfully built on the water, with good waterproof performance. In this kind of dwellings, people live upstairs and fish are raised downstairs, which makes the people happy and the fish jumping, which is very interesting. Whenever you want to eat fish, you just need to open the floorboards and reach for it.

One of the main features of the residential architecture in the South Dong region is that the layers are picked out, the upper large and the lower small, occupying the sky does not occupy the ground. Each floor has a picket corridor. The gallery is installed on the railing or balustrade. If the railing board is used, a round hole is specially cut for the family dog to stretch its head and look out. Because of the layers of pick, the eaves water thrown far, is conducive to the protection of the foot of the wall, and can be used layer by layer of eaves, drying clothes and grains.

In addition to the use of the eaves to dry grain, Dong compatriots also use cedar poles near the housing to build a trapezoidal Harvest drying, the use of cedar wood to build the hanging foot granary. Most of the granaries are built on water, which is good for fire prevention, anti-theft, anti-rodent and moisture-proof.

There is a rule in building houses in Dong village, that is, they are built around the drum tower, just like a spider web, forming a radial shape. Drum tower is a kind of folk building unique to Dong village, which is the symbol of unity and the sign of Dong village, and has the supreme status in the mind of Dong people. In its vicinity, there are also supporting Dong opera house, wind and rain building, drum tower ping, constituting the center of social and cultural activities, just like the heart of the Dong village. Whenever there is a big event, people in the village will gather here to discuss it, or on New Year's festivals, the villagers dressed in costumes, blowing the sheng and stepping on the hall, singing opera to each other, all night long, and the bustle is extraordinary. Many Dong villages, in order to adapt to the special needs of the villagers to welcome guests on the road to send guests, sing songs to make friends, in the village at the end of the village to build wooden gates. Walled gate modeling variety, or like a pagoda, pavilion, or like a promenade, flower bridge, the picturesque Dong village decorated with more beautiful. This distinctive public **** buildings, although not residential, but residential as the main carrier of the Dong village is indispensable

Dong people - clothing

Dong people's clothing, in order to live in the geographic division, can be divided into roughly the north and south of the two types, each with its own characteristics. The northern region has a higher level of production and a more developed culture due to more convenient land and water transportation. Therefore, the evolution of men's costumes is basically similar to that of the Han Chinese. Only women's costumes, except for the county, still maintain their traditional characteristics. Take Pingqiu Dong costumes in Jinping County as an example: the dress of women's costumes in Pingqiu area, the fabrics they wear from planting cotton, spinning and weaving, planting indigo printing and dyeing, sewing and weaving and embroidery are all operated by the women single-handedly, which demonstrates their industriousness and wisdom. Most of the tunic is green, with a rounded collar over the right, a flagon lapel with open buttons, colorful piping on the shoulders, the length of the garment up to the middle of the thighs, and the foot of the garment is exposed by a red inner sleeve. Sleeves flat hand bladder, cuffs set lace. There are two hanging scrolls on the back of the colorful belt tied around the waist, which dances with the characters as they walk around. The undergarment is white or orchid-colored, and the sleeves are longer than the cuffs of the outer garment, which are exposed on the bowl of the hand. The lower part of the figure wears green pants, and the feet are covered with embroidered cloth shoes.

Headdresses and silver jewelry are the most elaborate decorations for Pingqiu women. They are good at keeping long hair, with a red headband tied hair disk on the head and then wrapped in black gauze, the back of the head don't put on the silver hairpin, silver comb, silver plate flowers, silver crown, ear hanging gold and silver ring; collar two groups of silver buttons correspond to the arrangement, plus the flagon lapel buttons two groups; neck wear five different sizes of collars; chest wear five silver chain and a silver lock to suppress the devil to suppress the evil spirits; wrists wear silver flower bracelets, four-way bracelets, and so on. Silver jewelry in the carving of dragons and phoenixes, birds and insects, flowers and plants and other patterns, are made by local craftsmen. This suit is simple and complicated, silver glittering, clanking.

The southern Dong ethnic area of the dress is very different. Due to the location of the mountainous areas, transportation is not convenient, and therefore still maintains a more ancient skirt. South Dong good embroidery, clothing is extremely fine, women wear collarless lapel coat, lapel and cuffs set with fine embroidered pieces of horsetail. Patterns to dragons and phoenixes as the main, between the water cloud pattern, flower and grass pattern, under the pleated skirt, foot buckles flower shoes. The bun is decorated with a ring of hairpins, silver hairpin, silver crown with dragons and phoenixes on the head, and wearing a multi-layered silver collar and earrings, bracelets, waist belt, silver waist wilt, green cloth wrapped around the head, wide pants underneath, wearing straw shoes or bare feet. Dressing up to wear ancient, bird clothes, silver morning coat, moon clothes and so on.

Dong screw clothing: Liping Maogong Dong screw clothing is an ancient dress, now rare. Because of the pattern of curling like a screw, known as "screw clothes", its embroidery is exquisite, the pattern structure is perfect. According to the Dong folk beliefs, the screw pattern should be a dragon pattern. The dress is matched with a flower belt and a curtain skirt.

Dong Silver Dynasty Clothing: Liping Silver Dynasty Dong ancient dress, embroidery is exquisite and gorgeous, wedding and major events to wear, and now still retains its magnificent luster. The leaf-type curtain skirt recalls the primitive times when people wove grass blades as skirts. The embroidered "round dragon pattern" on the skirt reflects the Dong people's worship of dragons and snakes.

The costumes of the Liren area in Rongjiang County are made up of sideburns on the top of the head, which are slightly larger and to the left, and larger silver earrings and silver collars. The blouse is green in color, with a large lapel and no collar, wide sleeves, and a large embroidered pattern along the lapel edge in front of the chest. There are two decorative bands at the center of the sleeves, the top in blue satin and the bottom in woven flowers each about an inch wide. Wearing a center skirt, green, pleated, three inches long and below the hips. The girdle is rectangular, slightly longer than the skirt, with embroidered patterns. Her feet are wrapped in green cloth and she wears embroidered shoes with pointed tips. The whole set of ancient costume, embroidery pattern craft exquisite, can be considered the best of the Dong women's clothing. The embroidery patterns are mostly taken from the grasses, insects and butterflies in the mountainous areas, and the modeling is vivid and full of changes. The embroidery process is flat embroidery, the pattern is surrounded by a special white silk thread, in relief.

The summer dress of the girls from the Jiangluohyang area is a bun on the left side of the head, with a wooden comb inserted. Wearing silver earrings. Two silver collars, one large and one small, in the shape of a symmetrical spiral. She wears a silver bracelet and a silver ring. The blouse is open and open-chested, and is made of blue cloth. A five-minute wide white border runs from the collar, to the edge of the bodice, to the front and back hems. The length of the jacket is as long as the middle of the thighs, both sides are open, both sides of the waist are decorated with silver pieces, under the silver pieces are hanging flower bands and three silk threads, long enough to reach the hem of the jacket, the three decorative threads are hanging three bright beads of various colors, and under the beads are hanging large red silk bundles. The top is close-fitting, with a wide hemline. The sleeves are tight and thin, and the cuffs are decorated with lace. Inside the garment is a diamond-shaped bib, green in color, with a symmetrical triangular decorative pattern at the collar, which sets off the girl's face more beautifully. The bib is tight and pointed, like underwear. She wears a short green pleated skirt, and her calves are wrapped in green cloth. The foot wears flower cloth shoes.

The girls in the Sanlong area of Liping County are dressed in full costume, with their heads pulled back, sideburns on the left side, and colorful ribbons and silver flowers around their foreheads, which are pulled back and knotted. Their heads are covered with many flowers, fine feathers of white cranes or rooster's tail feathers. Wearing silver earrings, rings inlaid with fine round beads, beads hanging down a number of fine silver chain. Neck wear silver collar two or three. The top of the jacket is open over the left, and the edge of the jacket is decorated with lace. The sleeves are small and thin, decorated with lace on the cuffs, and the middle of the upper arm of the sleeves is decorated with patterns. Square waist. Wearing a short green pleated skirt. Calfs wrapped in a binding. Embroidered shoes. The fabric of the blouse, waist, leg wraps, and skirt is a shiny purple self-woven Dong cloth.

The dress of the men in Long'er area of Liping County is a blue, green and white latticework on the head, which is wrapped in the shape of a circle with a large top and a small bottom. The upper garment is large, collarless, short and tight-fitting, with small sleeves. The color of the jacket is purple glittering Dong cloth for dress, and light-colored or white Dong cloth for casual wear. The color of the jacket is purple glittering Dong cloth for the dress, and light-colored or white Dong cloth for the casual wear. The pants are green or made of the same material as the upper garment, with wide legs. They wear rubber or grass shoes.

The men's clothing in the Danyong area of Congjiang County is divided into dress and casual wear, and the dress is wrapped in a larger headgear made of purple glittering Dong cloth, with one end of the headgear cocked high on the left side in the shape of a brocade chicken, and with peach blossom patterns at the end of the headgear. The jacket is placketed, collared, short and tight-fitting, with nine silk buttons on the chest and small sleeves. Inside, he wears a white undershirt. Wearing long pants with wide legs. The pants and headgear are made of a single fabric. They wear straw shoes. The top is white with a lapel. The pants are green in color, with wide legs and grass shoes.

Dong literature includes folk songs in Dong language, folk songs in Chinese language, folk literature such as myths, legends, stories and Dong opera, as well as literature of late Qing dynasty singer-songwriters and literature of contemporary writers.

Dong myths are rich in content and ancient in form. They are widely spread in Dong folk and occupy a very important position in the history of Dong literature. The more famous mythological works include Ga Mang Mang Dao Shi Jia (Song of the Ancestors), Flood in the Sky, Joe Liang Joe Mei, Song of the Ancestors of the Dong Tribe in the Village and so on. These myths reflect the Dong ancestors' understanding of the opening of heaven and earth, the origin of mankind, and the generation of all things, and some of the myths tell about the formation and history of the Dong people and their migration. Among the folk legends, the legend of Wu Mian, who glorified the leader of the peasant revolt, is popular and well known to women and children. Due to the long time of circulation, this legend has been detached from the original historical figures, and the plot has been magicalized and tightly linked with the local scenery of the Dong people. Such legends also include "Jiang Yingfang", "Jiang Zilin", "Li Yuanhua", "Lu Dahan", "Resisting Liu Guan" and so on. Folktales have a wide range of themes and constitute a major part of Dong folklore. Reflecting women's destiny, "Three Plums of Dong Family": "Niangmei", "Liumei" and "Shoumei", witty characters' stories "Bu Kuan", "Lu Bensong", "Tian Shenge", etc. as well as a lot of animal stories express the beautiful feelings of Dong people who love life and pursue happiness.

The folk songs in Dong language are divided into three categories: "Ga", "Ye", "Tuan", and some people advocate that they are divided into "big songs", "small songs" and "small songs". ", "small songs", "narrative songs", "ritual songs" four categories. The word "ga" is a translation of the Dong language, i.e. "song", which is sung by a soloist or a two-voice chorus. "Ye" is a translation of the Dong language, i.e. "Ye song". It is sung by a group of singers. The word "money" is a translation of the Dong language, i.e. "money words", which is only recited but not sung.

"Ga" includes pipa songs accompanied by musical instruments, flute songs, ox-legged zither songs, wooden leaf songs and unaccompanied play mountain songs, riverside songs, go to the mountain songs, double songs, road blocking songs, wine songs, Lai oil songs, go to the cottage songs, songs, blessing songs, children's songs, etc., mostly lyrical songs. The "yeah" can be divided into "yeah" and "big song" two kinds.

The "paragraphs" include "legal paragraphs", "ceremonial paragraphs" and "mythological paragraphs", "history paragraph word", "prayer paragraph word" and other content, more in the village and the village between the collective visit to the guest recitation, commonly used parallel rhyme. Other rhymes recited without songs, such as auspicious words, superimposed words, vernacular words, etc., can also be classified into the category of "payment".

The Chinese folk songs of the Dong nationality are mostly sung in the tune of Chinese songs in the southern dialect area of the Dong language, and in the tune of Dong songs in the northern dialect area. There are also some singers who can sing both Dong and Chinese lyrics with the same tune of Dong songs.

Some popular narrative songs and lyric songs belong to the late Qing dynasty singer literature. Such as Guizhou Liping singer Lu Daiyun's "what kind of headman", Guangxi Sanjiang singer Wu Chaotang's "Xiuyin and Jimei", Longsheng singer Zhi Ge's "Dulang Tea Girl" and so on. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, there was a rapid development and a number of writers grew up. Miao Yanxiu's long poems "Symphony of the Great Miao Mountains" and "Night Song of the Lantern Festival", and the short story collection "Returning from the South" occupy an important position in the history of contemporary literature of the Dong people. In addition, newly grown writers include Teng Shusong, Zhang as, Liu Rongmin, Tan Qin, Yuan Renzhong, Huang Zhongxian and so on.

The Dong--Diet

The Dong is a southern ethnic minority distributed in the adjoining areas of Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi Provinces, of which Guizhou Province has the largest population, and was called "Luo Yue", "Bong" in ancient literature, In ancient literature, they were called "Luo Yue", "Bong" and "Dong Barbarians". They are mainly engaged in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and have developed handicrafts. They are good at weaving Dong brocade, "Drum Tower" and "Wind and Wind Tree". The "Drum Tower" and "Wind and Rain Bridge" are its unique and exquisite architectural art, and are the landmarks of the Dong village.

The food culture of the Dong ethnic group is self-contained, which can be roughly summarized by three words: "miscellaneous" (dietary structure), "sour" (taste hobby), and "happy" (feast atmosphere). The city has a rich and colorful food culture, which is summarized in three words. In its colorful food culture contains a lot of magical content.