Guizhou Minority Villages    Home    Guizhou Miao Costumes
Minority museum of Southeast Guizhou
Mandong Village
Wengxiang Village
Nanhua Village
Matang Village
Upper Lange Village
Xijiang Village
Xinqiao Village
Paikai Village
Zhang'ao Village
Mt Leigong
Wudong Village
Chejiang Dong Village
Zhaidang Village
Yintan Dong Village
Basha Miao Village
Gaozen Dong Village
Xiaohuang Village
 
Tanglong Village
Fanpai Village
 
Mt Yuntai
Shamu River
 
Chong'an
 
Zhaoxing Village
Tang'an Village
Jitang Village
 
Black Dragon Cave
Wuyang River
  Zhang'ao Village  

   Governed by the town of Datang, 7km away from Leishan and 52km from Kaili, Zhang'ao village lies on the main road side from Kiali to Leishan. The marriage custom, costumes and the technique of silver ornaments-making enjoy high fame as well as bronze drum in the village.
Zhang'ao village is located on a beautiful slope. The crystal clear Lianhuajiang river which originates from Leigongshan mountain runs through the foot of the village. There are quantities of ever green bamboo groves and tall and strait China firs surrounding the village while wooden houses hide in them. People believe it's the original place of bronze drum dance which contains the soul and spirit of Mt Leishan showing a feeling of wideness and warmness.

    Zhang'ao means the place where bamboo grows in Miao language. The bronze drum here has its own unique style, it's simple and warm. In all, there are totally 12 kinds of steps among the bronze drum dance, 9 of them can be performed, divided into male bronze drum dance and female bronze drum dance. Male bronze drum dance can be subdivided into the yong's and the old's. However, both of them have the common features of violent rhythm, fast and warm steps. Comparing with men's bronze drum dance , women's bronze drum dance tends to show a flavor of tender and slow, so called" oriental disco"

    The wedding ceromony of Zhang'ao is especially charming, open-minded and mysterious which cosists of 3 parts of traditional rituals. Firstly, expressing love to each other in groups by antiphonal singing and exchanging gifts between the lovers on the ground of "Youfang" which is an ideal place for the young to get together and express their love. Secondly, the bride escapes her home with her sweet heart in the late night brightened by stars by throwing a pack of her own wedding dowry through the window of her house without informing her parents. Thirdly, the bridegroom's family prepare rice wine and food for the villagers and relatives, and the new couple will go to bed and spend the night on the same bed together, then the match-maker from the bridegroom's village will visit the bride's family and tell them what had happened and what to do next-to know and recognize the new relative, the bride's father, brothers and uncles will visit the bridegroom's home and ask money for dowery, then the two families became relatives and started to communicate and visit each other.

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All texts and image by Chen Hualong Email: tony6868@163.com alongdiscovery@hotmail.com
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