Qiandongnan Culture

The people in southeast Guizhou(Qiandongnan) are plain, hardworking, kind-hearted and hospitable. With their own wisdom, all ethnic groups in Qiandongnan have created a beautiful home, in the meantime, created splendid and colorful ethnic culture, formed customs and practices with different features. 

Ethnic Groups

There are 33 ethnic groups in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, including Miao, Dong, Han, Buyi, Shui, Yao, Zhuang and Tujia. In the permanent resident population, ethnic minorities population accounts for 80.3% of the total registered population, among which Miao people are 42.5% and Dong people are 29.5%. 

Ethnic Townships

There are 15 ethnic townships in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture. 

Administrative Divisions Ethnic Townships
Majiang County(麻江县) Bamang Buyi Ethnic Township(坝芒布依族乡)
Zhenyuan County(镇远县) Shangzhai Tujia Ethnic Township(尚寨土家族乡)
Cengong County(岑巩县) Yangqiao Tujia Ethnic Township(羊桥土家族乡)
Liping County(黎平县) Leidong Yao and Shui Ethnic Township(雷洞瑶族水族乡) and Shunhua Yao Ethnic Township(顺化瑶族乡)
Congjiang County(从江县) Cuili Yao and Zhuang Ethnic Township(翠里瑶族壮族乡), Gangbian Zhuang Ethnic Township(刚边壮族乡) and Xiutang Zhuang Ethnic Township(秀塘壮族乡)
Rongjiang County(榕江县) Renli Shui Ethnic Township(仁里水族乡), Sanjiang Shui Ethnic Township(三江水族乡), Dingwei Shui Ethnic Township(定威水族乡), Xinghua Shui Ethnic Township(兴华水族乡), Shuiwei Shui Ethnic Township(水尾水族乡) and Tashi Yao and Shui Ethnic Township(塔石瑶族水族乡)
Leishan County(雷山县) Dadi Shui Ethnic Township(达地水族乡) 

Traditional Villages in Qiandongnan

There are many traditional villages and minority villages in Qiandongnan. Here below are just a fraction of them. 

Inheritors of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Qiandongnan

Order Number Name Gender Date of Birth Project Name Declaration Place Classification
03-0778 Zhang Dongqiang(张定强) Male 1931.01 Miao Ancient Song(苗族古歌) Taijiang County of Qiandongnan Folk Literature
03-0826 Wu Renhe(吴仁和) Male 1931.10.14 Dong Ka Lau(侗族大歌) Congjiang County of Qiandongnan Traditional Music
03-0827 Pan Sa Yin Hua(潘萨银花) Female 1944 Dong Ka Lau(侗族大歌) Congjiang County of Qiandongnan Traditional Music
03-0828 Wu Shiheng(吴仕恒) Male 1919.11 Dong Pipa Song(侗族琵琶歌) Liping County of Qiandongnan Traditional Music
03-1330 Wang Xingwu(王兴武) Male 1966.10 Craft of Vellum(皮纸制作技艺) Danzhai County of Qiandongnan Traditional Skill
04-1510 Hu Guanmei(胡官美) Female 1955.09 Dong Ka Lau(侗族大歌) Rongjiang County of Qiandongnan Traditional Music
04-1773 Wu Tongying(吴通英) Female 1951.03 Miao Embroidery Taijiang County of Qiandongnan Traditional Art
04-1820 Chen Xianyue(陈显月) Female 1964.04 Dong Embroidery Jinping County of Qiandongnan Traditional Art
04-1840 Wang Ayong(王阿勇) Male 1944.02.15 Miao Batik Danzhai County of Qiandongnan Traditional Skill
04-1844 Wu Shuigen(吴水根) Male 1966.02.19 Miao Silver Jewelry Forging Technology Taijiang County of Qiandongnan Traditional Skill
05-2008 Li Huitang(李会堂) Male / Miao Jiali(苗族贾理) Qiandongnan Folklore Literature
01-0151 Mo Yanxue(莫厌学) Male 1951.11.16 Miao Lusheng Production Skills Leishan County of Qiandongnan Traditional Skill
01-0008 Shi Guangming(石光明) Male 1941.06 Carving(刻道) Shibing County of Qiandongnan Folklore Literature

Local Customs

  • Festivals: Qiandongnan is known as the land of festivals. There are more than 200 festivals in a year. Main ethnic festivals include Lusheng Festival, Papo(爬坡) Festival, Sister's Meal Festival and Miao's New Year of Miao people;  Dong's New Year, Wrestling Festival and Linwang Festival(林王节) of Dong people; Duan Festival(端节) of Shui people; and Panwang Festival(盘王节) of Yao, etc. 
  • Song and Dance: Qiandongnan is known as the "sea of song and dance". The Miao's "flying songs" and "Youfang songs(游方歌)", as well as "ancient songs", "toasting songs", "grand songs" have different modes. There are chorus songs and solo songs in Dong songs, especially the "grand songs" of Dong without accompaniment and conductor. Ethnic dances mainly include the Miao's wooden drum dance and Caigu dance(踩鼓舞), which are called "Oriental disco", the Lusheng dance and the Dong's "Duoye dance(多耶舞)". 
  • Crafts: Ethnic crafts include Miao batik and Dong brocade, as well as Miao and Dong embroidery. Others like Stilt-house Diaojiao, Yayuan Manor(衙院庄园) of Tujia, as well as drum tower and flower bridge of Dong. 
  • Activities: Festival activities include singing and dancing, bullfighting and horse racing, blowing Lusheng, trampling bronze drum, dragon-boat racing, playing dragon lanterns, singing dong opera and so on. Traditional sports activities of ethnic minorities mainly include "dragon boat rowing" and martial arts of the Miao ethnic group, and "sparkler-grabbing" of the dong ethnic group known as "Oriental Rugby". 
  • National Intangible Cultural Heritages: National intangible cultural heritages in Qiandongnan include Miao Ancient Song, Dong Grand Song, Dong Pipa Song, Miao Lusheng Dance, Miao Embroidery, Miao Batik, sister's meal festival of Miao, Yang Asha(仰阿莎), Miao's New Year, Dong Embroidery and the like. 
History of Qiandongnan

History of Qiandongnan

Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, also known as Southeast Qian Autonomous Prefecture of Miao and Dong (Southeast Qeens Autonomous Prefecture) and can be shortened as S.E. Qian Prefecture...

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