肇兴 – 中国最大侗寨 Zhaoxing – The Largest Dong Village in China

肇兴位于贵州黎平县，临近贵州从江和广西三江，是中国最大的侗族村寨。肇兴始建于12世纪的南宋时期，已有差不多900年历史。村寨内可见侗寨标志性的鼓楼，也有古色古香的侗家木屋。

Zhaoxing is located at Liping county in Guizhou province, nearby Congjiang county in Guizhou and Sanjiang county in Guangxi. It is the largest Dong tribe village in China. The village is built during the Song Dynasty in 12^th century, it’s already close to 900 years old. Visitors still can see the iconic Dong tribe tower and traditional antique wooden houses in the village.

肇兴还保留原始生态，依然能看到侗族鼓楼和木屋。
Zhaoxing is still maintaining its original ecology. Visitors can see the traditional Dong tower and wooden houses here.

不知为何，在中国国内，名气竟然输给有千户苗寨之称的西江。肇兴曾被《中国国家地理杂志》评选为《中国最美的六大乡村古镇》之一。听说，肇兴在西方国家挺有名，这就不得而知了。但是，在肇兴的确能看见金发碧眼的老外，这在贵州并不多见。至少，我在西江就没看见来自西方国家的老外游客。

Somehow, its popularity in China is less than Xijiang – the largest Miao tribe village. Zhaoxing was one of the few selected as “Top 6 most beautiful ancient village in China” by “Chinese National Geography”. Heard that Zhaoxing is very famous in western countries, but I’m not sure it’s true or not. However, I saw westerners in Zhaoxing, and this is not common in Guizhou. At least, I didn’t see any westerner when I was in Xijiang.

肇兴晚上的全景。前面倒影是梯田里的水反射上来的。
Zhaoxing landscape at night. The area with water reflection at the front is the rice terraces.

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晚上的大门口处，就在我住的酒店前。
Nearby the main entrance, it just opposite the hotel that I stayed

以我个人所见，肇兴这最大侗寨的确比西江这最大苗寨来得漂亮自然。西江都被商业化搞砸了，大街上都是酒吧和卖纪念品的商店，感觉就像阳朔的西街，只是没西街那么人头怂恿而已。欣慰的是，肇兴还是比较传统的，在大街上还能看见上百年的鼓楼。虽街道都已用鹅卵石美化，但都依传统图案美化而成。

From my point of view, Zhaoxing – the largest Dong village – is more beautiful and natural than Xijiang – the largest Miao village. Xijiang is too commercialized. Its main street is full of bars and souvenir shops. The feeling is like walking on the West Street in Yangshuo, just that Xijiang is less tourists. Luckily, Zhaoxing is still maintaining its antique look. We still can see the hundred years old tower there. Even the muddy road has paved with cement and pebbles, but the pebbles are put in traditional patterns.

肇兴大街
Main street in Zhaoxing

河岸房子和风雨桥。侗寨都会看到风雨桥，一般都是木造和完全不用钉子的。
Houses along the river and the fengyu (means wind and rain) bridge. Fengyu bridge usually can spot in Dong village. It is built with wood and without any nails.

当地侗族妇人和小孩
The local Dong minority ladies and kids

挑着稻米到米市
Carry the rice crop to rice market

到了肇兴，也可顺便到大约8公里外的堂安。其实，堂安就是一个侗族生态村，有中国和挪威合建的侗族生态博物馆。再说，这里的梯田造型不错，夕阳下的梯田可吸引了无数的摄影师。在堂安，也能远观肇兴全景，但要拍肇兴全景也未必真的要上到堂安去。到堂安的半路上，大约离肇兴两公里的山坡上已能看到全景，另一个看肇兴全景的地方则位于肇兴入口处的一个小山坡上。

About 8km away from Zhaoxing is Tangan, which is a Dong tribe ecological village. There is a Dong tribe ecological museum that is built by cultural experts from both China and Norway. Also, the rice terrace in Tangan is quite pretty too. The superb sunset view of rice terrace has attracted a lot of photographers to be here. At Tangan, visitors can view the entire landscape of Zhaoxing. However, landscape shooting of Zhaoxing does not necessarily have to go to Tangan. Just about 2km away from Zhaoxing, you can view the village landscape on a hillside before reaching to Tangan. Another spot to view the Zhaoxing landscape is located at a slope nearby the main entrance.

门票/ Entrance fee：100元/ RMB100

碰巧我们的司机师傅是侗族人，能说当地语言，所以就蒙混过去不用买门票就进去了。

Just happen our driver can speak the local Dong language and therefore, we didn’t pay for the entrance fee.

肇兴每天在特定时间都有歌舞表演，早午各一场。
The performance can be watched daily. Morning and afternoon each has a session.

当地人的歌舞表演一幕
The performance by local people

当地人的歌舞表演
The performance by local people

食物/ Food：

虽说在黔东南随处都能吃到酸汤鱼，但在肇兴一定要尝尝酸汤鱼，尤其是在游客接待处旁的那家叫美味醉侗家的小菜馆。它的酸汤鱼是我在黔东南吃过最好吃的，即便是凯里那家出名的侗嘎佬也输给这小菜馆呢！这酸汤鱼主要就是靠那个汤，正宗的都是用番茄、蔬菜和发酵食材熬出来的。而那些发酵食材的掌握，各家菜馆又各自有分别，而更多的就是用成本低的酱料来调味。

Although you can get the sour fish soup easily elsewhere in Southeast Guizhou, but you should try the sour fish soup in Zhaoxing especially the one next to visitor center, a small restaurant called Mei Wei Zui Dong Jia. Its sour fish soup is the most delicious that I have tried in Southeast Guizhou area. Even Dong Ga Lao, which is the popular restaurant in Kaili city, can’t compare with this small restaurant. The soup is cooked with tomato, vegetable, and fermented ingredients. Then, it only boils with fish. Each restaurant may use different fermented ingredients, and many restaurants are actually using the lower cost of paste and sauce for the soup.

住宿/ Accommodation：

肇兴入口处有好几家旅馆，我住的那家叫那时花开驿站，感觉不错，老板和老板娘是从沈阳过来的，人很好。我和友人因错过高铁，到达时已晚上十点半了，老板娘还叮嘱我们趁天气不错，先到山上拍已亮灯的肇兴全景，然后领着我们出去。还好我们先拍了，因第二天从下午到晚上雨都一直下。也因为下大雨，我们不能出外吃晚饭，老板还替我们出主意到隔壁菜馆叫菜拿过来吃。

除了入口处，里面河岸边集中了多家旅馆酒店。要看夜景的就住入口处，要感觉侗家日常生活的就住里边吧！这里的旅馆都有WiFi，不用担心连线问题。

There are several small hotels at the main entrance. The one that I stayed is called Flower Station At That Time Inn (I don’t know why it has such name), not far away from main entrance. The owners are a couple who came from Shenyang. The day my friends and I reached this small hotel was about 10.30pm and the owners advised us should go out for night shooting immediately as the weather might change tomorrow. Then, the lady owner led us to the slope to view the Zhaoxing landscape at night. Luckily we followed their advice, because the next day was heavy rain from afternoon till night time. Due to this reason, we couldn’t go out for dinner and had to wait in hotel for the rain to stop. We were so appreciated that the owners suggested food delivery from restaurant next door and allowed us to eat in hotel that night.

Besides the main entrance, the riverside also has a lot of small hotels. To view the night scenery, I would suggest staying near the main entrance. To view and feel the local living, I would suggest staying at the riverside. No issue on connectivity as the hotels here have WiFi.

从旅馆往外拍的早晨街景
Street outside the hotel in morning

河岸边比较多酒店
More hotels at the riverside

在河岸边会看到当地侗族妇人染布
At the riverside can easily spot the local Dong tribe lady dyeing clothes

染布就这样晾晒着
Drying the dyed clothes

晚上河景
Night scene at the river

其中一座风雨桥
Night scene of a fengyu bridge

交通/ Transportation:

• 黎平县城和从江县城都有班车直达肇兴，也可到洛香转车到肇兴。因路况不好，坐车会较疲累。
• 凯里和榕江都有车到黎平和从江，然后转车到肇兴。
• 从桂林过去也行，坐班车要先到三江（票价50元，3小时），然后从三江转车到从江（票价30元，3小时）。但三江有两个汽车站，桂林的车都会到河东汽车站，所以下车后必须走到桥头的河西汽车站搭车到从江。然后，到了从江才转车到肇兴。如果要用这条线路，推荐先到三江的程阳看一看名震天下的程阳风雨桥和鼓楼。这里的侗家房屋错落有致，风景如画，民风淳朴，值得在程阳侗寨住一天才启程到肇兴。但要进程阳，得买门票，当然逃票还是可以的，我就不再这里说了。
• 2014年12月尾才开通的贵广高铁，在从江有停靠。从江高铁站就在肇兴不远处，到站后可转搭公交车，15分钟左右就能到达肇兴。但是，一天就只那么一两趟高铁到从江，节假日极难买到票。即便如此，我还是推荐坐高铁。从桂林北站到从江站，高铁票价才44.50元，一小时就能到达了，搭班车反而更贵更耗时。

• There are direct buses from Liping and Congjiang to Zhaoxing, also can go to Luoxiang to take direct bus to Zhaoxing. Due to the bad road condition, bus/ car riding may not be a good idea.
• Kaili and Rongjiang have buses to Liping and Congjiang, and then take the direct bus to Zhaoxing.
• From Guilin to Zhaoxing is possible too, but have to take bus to Sanjiang (ticket price RMB50, 3 hours) first, then take another bus from Sanjiang to Congjiang (ticket price RMB30, 3 hours). Sanjiang has two different bus terminals. The bus to/ from Guilin will stop at Hedong (East River) Bus Terminal. After get down from the bus, you have to walk to Hexi (West River) Bus Terminal at the other end of the bridge in order to take bus to Congjiang. Then, only take direct bus to Zhaoxing from Congjiang. If you are taking this route, I will recommend to visit to Chenyang in Sanjiang to see the famous Chenyang Bridge and Dong tribe traditional tower. The picturesque Dong village in Chenyang is worth to stay overnight before heading to Congjiang. However, visitors have to pay entrance fee to get into Chenyang Dong village. Of course, there are ways to escape from paying the entrance fee, but I won’t disclose here.
• The high speed train that links between Guiyang and Guangzhou has already started its service since end of December 2014. The high speed train has a stop at Congjiang, and the station is not far away from Zhaoxing. From the high speed train station, it just about 15 minutes bus ride. However, it’s only once or twice daily that the high speed train stops at Congjiang. During holidays, it’s tough to get train ticket to Congjiang. Amid that, I will still recommend to take high speed train as it’s cheaper and faster. From Guilin North station to Congjiang station, the train ticket is only RMB44.50, one hour can reach destination.

住在岸边能感受当地淳朴的生活
Enjoy the local living at riverside