Qiandongnan (Southeast Guizhou), is the largest autonomous prefecture in China. It's also where most of the Miao and Dong people live.
This is a little-visited place, unfamiliar to many travelers and tourists. But that doesn't mean it is not an attractive destination. Despite its somewhat derogatory reputation as a place where "there are no three days without rain, no three coins in a pocket and no three kilometers without a mountain," for the more intrepid traveler, this is a really fascinating spot.
Almost 40 percent of the population here belongs to one of the numerous minority groups who toil the harsh terrain.
The Miao and Dong largely inhabit the land in the east, the Boyei (related to the Thai people) in the hot south, and the Yi and Hui live in the hills in the west of the province.
With a forest coverage of over 45 percent, the scenery across
Qiandongnan is spectacular, ranging from limestone peaks to green mountains and gargantuan waterfalls.
Guizhou has one of the highest rainfalls in the entire country. You can find thousands of rivers flowing along any trip you take in the province.
In Qiandongnan, there are around 2,900 rivers of various dimensions. All of them are clean and few ever run low.
Aside from the natural scenery, special ethnic culture and ancient architecture are major attractions here. The Miao and Dong people's costume maintains the style of the Tang (618-907), Song (960-1279), Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.
The architecture is different from what you find anywhere else. It even differs markedly from that found in
Lijiang Ancient Town in neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Xijiang Miao village, the biggest Miao village in China, has 1000 households. In Leishan county, 75 km from Kaili, surrounded by green hills and blue waters, rows upon rows of pile dwellings stand in the bamboo forests on the mountain slope.
Xijiang Thousand Family Village is the largest in the province. All the houses here, without exception, are made from maple wood. The typical Dong style bridges, spanning numerous rivers and valleys, should also not be missed.
It's also famous for its New Rice Tasting Festival and Miao New Year celebration.
Worth checking out too is its silversmith craftsmanship and harvest celebration.
The local silversmiths boast unique craftsmanship for silver ornament-making. All the silver ornaments that a Miao girl puts on weigh about nine kilograms. The harvest celebration is held in memory of villagers' ancestors and in celebrating their autumn harvest. The most important part of the celebration is to hold a memorial ceremony for ancestors. That is accompanied by the happy Lusheng pipe and dance ceremony.
Zhaoxing Dong Village is the bigger village in the southern Ding dialect region. The village is divided into five parts according to family groups. Each has one roofed bridge and one drum tower.
The tallest tower is 25 meters high without any iron nail or rivet. Wooden tenons and mortises connect the tower. Inside the tower are carved figures of people, animals and flowers full of the Dong's color.
The drum tower is a place where the Dong people gather together for important decisions, singing and entertainment.
Notes: Exotic and intriguing,
Qiandongnan is a great area to be explored on foot and by basic transport.
Travelers should however, be aware of the numerous customs that the Minority groups here abide by and try to adjust to their way of life.
What's more, this is one of the most poverty-stricken areas in China. Standards of living here are low and the way of life is very basic.
Getting there and away:
There are daily flights from
Beijing and
Shanghai to Guiyang, the capital city of the Province. From Shanghai, the flight costs 1280 yuan (US$160) (approximately 2.5 hours) and from Beijing, 1380 yuan (US$165) (2-3 hours) one way for economy class.
When getting to Guiyang, please find the bus routes to Xijiang, Zhaoqing, Taijiang or Kaili.
10. Man goes around the world for only US$3,000
(www.newsgd.com 2003-12-31 09:27:59 )
WHAT does a person need to travel around the world? Time, US$3,000 and courage --- that's the answer from Zhu Zhaorui, a Chinese with an MBA from Britain.
Last May, with US$3,305.27, Zhu, 33, began a world tour that lasted for 77 days, in which he visited 28 countries in Central and North America, Asia, Australia and Europe. Realizing a globe-trotting dream most Chinese deem impossible, Zhu also created a mythic impression of traveling the world comfortably and frugally.
The US$3,305.27 covered the transportation and lodging expenses Zhu incurred, but excluded money for meals and shopping.
Zhu, who was in
Shenzhen promoting a book about his travels, With US$3,000, emphasized that his tour was not an ascetic one, as he flew a lot and often stayed in upscale hotels. "The most important things are choosing the right kind of traveling tools and early planning," said Zhu, who spent six months plotting the trip.
Zhu made the bold decision in autumn, 2001, after he made a bet with his British roommate that a Chinese citizen can also travel around the world.
An economic round-the-world ticket made Zhu's tour possible. After comparison shopping and bargaining on the Internet, Zhu bought a 775-pound (US$1,108.25) round-the-world ticket for 682 pounds. With the ticket, Zhu was allowed to fly in one direction around the world with six stopovers.
He carefully selected six cities for the stopovers. And he chose the rest of itineraries between these cities with equal care.
According to Zhu, the most satisfying ticket he had bought was one from Sweden to Finland. From Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to Finland's capital, Helsinki, the fare was about US$200.
He plans to visit South America, Africa and Antarctic in 2004, again with US$3,000. But from Stockholm to Tampere, the third largest city in Finland, the ticket fare was only US$0.93 --- 200 times cheaper than the former.
