Yutou Dong Minority Village

The Dong ethnic minority live in the region delimited by southwest Hunan, southeast Guizhou and north Guangxi. This part of the country often called the “Corridor of Dong culture”. The countryside near Tongdao -which coincidentally means “passageway” or “thoroughfare”–is home to dozens of Dong ethnic villages. The region of Tongdao, virtually unknown to Western and Chinese tourists is the right place for a natural scenic drive through the Hunanese countryside which is dotted with ancient Dong drum towers and centuries-old Wind and Rain bridges.

In Yutou Dong Minority Village of Tongdao Dong Autonomous County, architectural styles dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties have been well preserved. The village was built between 1368 and 1398, according to archaeologists. There are currently 182 ethnic Dong families living in the village.

Hidden deep in a valley, Yutou village, is home to an impressive overhanging wooden pavilion-shaped watchtower that dominates the paddy fields and the tea terraces. Built during the 52nd year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1787), it is a protected historical site. In spite of this interesting historical structure, Yutou village is a very common Dong ethnic village with traditional drum towers and a Wind and Rain bridge-like structure at the entrance. The wooden structure rest on stone piers and a stone arches and scenes depicting what seems to be local historical events have been painted on each side of the inner wooden corridor.

On top of one shrine (most Wind and Rain bridges have shrines dedicated to the ancestors who founded the villages and other deities), faded white Chinese characters which means “Destroy Superstition”. The village square is dominated by a drum tower and it has a stone temple attached to it and a temple dedicated to Confucius right next to it.

Admission fee: 40 yuan/person

Service hotline: 0745-8627889