Huanggang Dong Village

Huanggang Dong Village is located in Shuangjiang Township, on the border of Congjiang and Liping counties, 33 kilometers from Congjiang County. Hidden in the mountains, it’s a relatively unknown Dong village. Its Dong folk songs, customs, and scenery are among the best in Congjiang. (Image: With just over 300 households, Huanggang Dong Village surprisingly boasts five drum towers. A single, over ten-meter-tall drum tower amidst a sea of two-story buildings is already a standout, let alone five. Drum towers serve as gathering places for the unified ethnic group. Legend has it that the ancestors who fell drunk in Huanggang were five brothers. Later, the brothers each multiplied and gave rise to five large ethnic groups, leading to the construction of five drum towers. A unique feature of Huanggang’s drum towers is that each features a wooden board inscribed with the twenty-four solar terms, allowing residents to track the seasons. Each tower also features two lifelike dragons. Huanggang is a Dong village that celebrates the “Sky Shouting Festival.” Also known as the Rain-Praying Festival, it’s called “Xie Sa Xiang” in the Dong language, meaning “to worship the Thunder Goddess.” The magical aspect of the Sky Shouting Festival is that if it’s sunny before the ceremony, it’s guaranteed to rain after; and if it’s rainy before, it’s guaranteed to sunny after. This tradition has been practiced for years, with unwavering success. Afterward, long tables are set up for toasts. In the evening, Dong folk songs begin, creating a lively atmosphere.