My Sanjiang Tour
A Wind and Rain Bridge in Chengyang Scenic Area
Sanjiang, literally “the three rivers” in English, the Rong River, Xun River and Miao River meet and twist through the county, hence the name. Located in the north Guangxi, China, the region is traditionally inhabited by the Dong people and about 4hrs drive from Guilin.
On July6, I visit the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge Scenic Area of Sanjjiang. The area is only 19 km from the seat of Sanjiang County and consists of 8 connected Dong villages. They are Ma An, Ping Tan, Ping Zhai, Yan Zhai, Dong Zhai, Ping Pu, Ji Chang and Da Zhai. I bought a ticket and enter from Da Zhai (aka Chengyang Village). The ticket entitled me to watch a show (at 10:30am) and drink a cup of traditional oil tea. The show was performed by the local girls. The girls were all from the nearby villages and all wore their traditional Costumes. They looked something simple but very beautiful. The show is quite lively,the performers danced to very beautiful music. Their musical instruments, such as Lusheng, Dong-style Pipa and Suona etc. look something different from those that I have seen in other ethnic areas. The oil tea that they served me I like very much, something like the Gongcheng oil tea that I usually drink in Guilin. The locals told me the oil tea is a traditional staple of them. And they drink it every day. It is made by frying tea leaves in oil. After the leaves are fried, water is added along with peanuts, chopped onions and puffed rice. The tea is very bitter for people not used to it and salt is offered to help kill the bitterness.
Da Zhai is the biggest and most famous village among the eight villages in the scenic area. It needs five minutes in every direction from there to other villages. The village is a good place to base travels from because it has the best hotels (they are actually the local villagers’ homes) in the area, and is in the center of a large number of villages. No matter which direction you take out of Da Zhai, will take you to another village. What makes these villages so unique is that there is little evidence that it is the 21st century. Most of the local people still wear their traditional minority clothing, and the local government has made rules forbidding any modern style buildings to be built in the area, so all of the buildings are made of wood, and do not use nails, or fasteners of any kind. All the buildings are legged and built of a mortise and tendon design, and uses their own weight to hold them together. The locals call them – Diaojiaolou. The domestic animals live in the first floor, and the upper floors are the living quarters. The houses are usually three levels high. In the old days, this kind of houses was very good to keep away from the beasts.
In Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge Scenic Area, each village at least features one drum tower. The Dong people’s drum towers are used as meeting houses, and places to send signals to the entire villages. The towers have a square foundation, and appear to have many stories. In Sanjiang, the drum towers are regarded as the symbol of the Dong villages. I entered the towers and found some of them have the benches, tables, even the fire pits, but commonly, they all have a big drum. The local people told me that the drum is used to send signals to the entire village. When there was an emergency, like a fire, or an attack, the drum would be beat, and because of the design of the structure, the sound would be amplified and could be heard for miles around.
For me, the highlight of this area is the ancient bridges. They are known as the wind and rain bridge. The one in Dazhai is my favorite. The bridge is listed as one of the three famous ancient bridges in China. Built in 1912, the semi-permanent bridge has stone piers and wooden girders and pavilions connected by a tile-roofed corridor. It is an amazing piece of architecture built without use of any fasteners of any kind. It looks very beautiful.
In the late afternoon, I visited a local family and happened to meet the whole household having their dinner. They invited me to join them. The family was very hospitable and served me their home-made strange meats, such as sour fish (uncooked), sour duck (uncooked), pickled pork etc., but my gorge rose when I put them into my mouth. The daughter of the family is very beautiful and graceful but fattish. She filled my bowl with brewed rice wine again and again, I drank a lot and became fuddled and could not count how many bowls of wine that I had drunk. At that time, I blushed at her every-now-and-then looks but not the punch of the wine. Her parents and grandparents seemed to be very interested in my family, my age and even my marital status. I answered each question of them. When I left the family and paid them, they didn’t accept my money and just hoped me can visit their family at any time from Guilin.
Your original take on this topic has me thinking about many of the points you shared in this article. This is great content with substance.
I liked your post about My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours. Your website is very informative. Thank you for all your hard work.
Good write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s website, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
I think other website proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and fantastic user genial style and design, as well as the content. You are an expert in this topic!
I like this My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours , enjoyed this one thanks for putting up keep update My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours.
I just couldn’t depart your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info a person provide for your visitors? Is going to be back often in order to check up on new posts
I like Your Article about My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours Perfect just what I was looking for! .
thank you for sharing My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours with us, I believe My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours genuinely stands out : D.
Great content and great layout. Your blog site deserves all the positive feedback it has been getting.
My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too fantastic. I actually like what you have acquired here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it smart. I can not wait to read far more My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours again from you. Thanks For Share .
Outstanding share it is surely. We’ve been seeking for this information.
Hi my partner and i started in to learn about this subject, thank you alot. will certainly set this website in to my own book marks.
I m not going to say what everyone has just said, but I do want to comment on your knowledge of the topic , i can say you’re truly good informed .
I don’t usually post on blogs but had to on yours. You have a very easy to read writing style. I really enjoy posts about this topic, they give me a lot to reflect on. I don’t have time to read everything right now, I found this site when looking for something else on Yahoo, but I’ve bookmarked your homepage and will check back soon to see the latest thoughts.
Yep, really nice. I just put the code after the “” so Facebook “like” button will appear at the end of the post. People usually decide do they like the post after they read it…:)
Just to let you know, this post looks a little bit odd from my android phone. Who knows maybe it really is just my cell phone. Great post by the way.
I unbiased couldnt shove off your website once too revealing you that we unusually enjoyed the quality gen you advance to your visitors… Choice be encourage often to inhibit up on new posts
Every time I come across an article which gives me reason for using my mind, it truly istimulates me. Your page My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours offers people a motivation to think even long after it is read.
Excellent My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours
I agree with your My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours, wonderful post.
I agree with your My Sanjiang Tour | Travel Blog, China Fact Tours, good post.
Comfortably, the article
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
Comfortably, the article
I like this post, enjoyed this one appreciate it for putting up.
I really don’t agree with this particular article. Nonetheless, I did researched with Yahoo and I have found out you are right and I was thinking in the improper way. Carry on producing high quality material such as this.
I was curious if you ever thought of changing the structure of your website? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or 2 images. Maybe you could space it out better?
Try and respond to the many comments which have been posted with your site.
I think this is among the most important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But wanna remark on some general things, The site style is great, the articles is really great : D. Good job, cheers
Congratulations on getting One of the most innovative sites I have appear throughout in some period! It’s merely amazing how much you can remove from a factor as a result of exactly how aesthetically gorgeous it really is. You’ve put with each other an incredible website room -great artwork, video clips, structure. This really is unquestionably the must-see weblog!
Hello
I wasent looking for that but still a great post
how did you guys found this information??thank you for your post I saw it on Yahoo And I bookmarked it . I’ll share. You have my email guys, so can you please send me an email when you post some new blogs on your site!!!
thank you and have a nice day
I found this info earlier today while at the office. Very useful. Sent the website link to myself and will possibly bookmark it once I go back home.
Great blog you have here. You’ll discover me reading through your stuff often. Bookmarked!
You are a extremely bright person!
I would like to show my appreciation for your quality article. Your original content has given me reason to think about a lot of this information. Your writing style is original and engaging. Thank you.
Fantastic blog you have got here. You will see me looking at your stuff often. Saved as a favorite!
Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is magnificent, let alone the content!
Your material is great. I love to read intelligent articles and this is one reading I have really enjoyed. There’s no denying how much research you did for this content.
This is just what I’ve been looking for all day. Do not stop updating this website.
I am not real great with English but I line up this real leisurely to read .
I agree with you completely on this matter and enjoyed going over your thoughts here in this blog. I have bookmarked your website and look forward to returning for more.
I do not agree with this blog post. Nevertheless, I did researched with Bing and I have found out that you’re right and I had been thinking in the wrong way. Keep on writing quality content like this.
I read your article a couple of time so I could be sure I took in all the points. I’m in agreement with you on a lot of this content.
Interesting website, i read it but i still have a few questions. shoot me an email and we will talk more becasue i may have an interesting idea for you.
This was a really good site. Big thanks
Your blog site was tweeted by a friend last night. Decided I’d take a look. Best decision ever.
I truly appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thanks again!
Thank you in your assist!
Thanks for the info, I must bookmark your website for my reference
Enjoyed looking at this, very good stuff, appreciate it.