Ancient Mulao Ethnic Residential Houses in Dale Dong

Ancient Mulao Ethnic Residential Houses in Dale Dong

The Mulao (mulao) ethnic group is one of China's smaller mountain-dwelling ethnic minorities. Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County is the only county in the country exclusively designated for the Mulao people. Located in Dale Dong, Longteng Village, Xiaochang’an Town, Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County, Dale Dong is a village inhabited primarily by the Wu clan of the Mulao people. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, shaded by ancient trees, and blessed with beautiful scenery and simple folkways, the village currently preserves over 60 ancient residential houses from the Qing Dynasty. It is not only one of the representative settlements of the Mulao people, but also one of the best-preserved ancient villages in terms of historical architecture in the county and even in Hechi City. It has been named by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission as one of the second batch of “China’s Ethnic Minority Characteristic Villages.” The Dale Dong Mulao Ethnic Ancient Residential Eco-Museum highlights the production and daily life, traditional costumes, and festive celebrations of the Mulao people in Dale Dong and surrounding areas, showcasing the distinctive ethnic and folk culture of the Mulao in Luocheng through three uniquely styled exhibition spaces.

Luocheng was the first place where Yu Chenglong, hailed by Emperor Kangxi as “the most incorruptible official under heaven,” began his official career. In May 2016, the production crew of the large-scale period historical drama “Yu Chenglong,” directed by Wu Ziniu and organized by the Publicity Department and the Commission for Discipline Inspection of Shanxi Province, filmed scenes in Luocheng. Based on historical records, they built 27 sets in Dale Dong, including the Luocheng County Yamen, Guan Di Temple, city gate, Chunxiao Academy, blacksmith shop, and bamboo ware shop, leaving behind a film set with tourism functionality for the local area.

The ancient Mulao Ethnic Residential Houses in Dale Dong are located deep within the mountains of Longteng Village, Xiaochang’an Town, Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County. The area is surrounded by mountains and rivers, shaded by ancient trees, boasts intact natural ecology, and features beautiful scenery.

Dale Dong is a village primarily inhabited by the Wu clan of the Mulao ethnic group. According to research, the ancestors of the Wu clan in Dale Dong originally came from Changsha, Hunan. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, they migrated to SiBa Dawushu in Luocheng County and settled in five and three “dongs” (sub-villages). During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, a branch of the five dong from Dawu Village moved to Dale Dong, where they have resided ever since.

The ancient Mulao Ethnic Residential Houses in Dale Dong are among the best-preserved ancient villages in terms of historical architecture in Luocheng County and even in Hechi City. The entire village is divided vertically into four sections by three stone-paved lanes. At the exit of each lane stands a stone gatehouse, which serves as the only entrance and exit to the village—only one such gatehouse remains today. Each of the four sections functions independently, each composed of a branch of the Wu clan. Multiple parallel rows of buildings connect front to back. Each row consists of two connected houses (usually owned by brothers), with gate towers on both the left and right sides that lead to the lanes, linking the front and rear buildings into a unified structure. The foremost buildings all have a rear wing connected tightly to the gatehouse, and the outer walls of the gatehouse and rear wing feature several gun or lookout holes. The buildings closest to the foot of the mountain are also enclosed by connecting walls, turning the whole village into a closed system. Each of the four sections forms its own smaller enclosed unit. Both the gatehouses and individual family gate towers are equipped with two layers of defensive structures: the inner layer consists of thick wooden double doors with hidden bolts inside that cannot be opened from the outside, while the outer layer is formed by thick wooden fences made of several parallel logs that run vertically through the stone doorstep and lintel board, also secured by hidden bolts inside the lintel. This architectural layout forms a complete and tight defense network for the ancient village of Dale Dong, making the entire settlement a virtually impregnable fortress.

The ancient residences in Dale Dong were initially built during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Including the Wu Clan Ancestral Hall, there are now over 60 well-preserved ancient houses from the Qing Dynasty. Aside from the Wu Clan Ancestral Hall, which has a flush gable roof, all other individual buildings feature suspended gable roofs covered with small blue tiles. The buildings generally have three bays and three sections, with side walls known as thirty-six walls—often constructed with an outer layer of blue bricks and an inner layer of mud bricks, commonly referred to as “gold wrapped in silver,” which provides excellent thermal insulation, keeping the interior warm in winter and cool in summer. The outer side of the gable walls is decorated with grass-phoenix patterns under the eaves. The inner partition walls are twenty-four walls, built with staggered layers of either mud or blue bricks. The back wall of the living room usually houses a ancestral shrine, and beside the inner side of the living room door, there is often “a hearth dug into the ground,” with a fire burning year-round.

The ancient Mulao residences are described as follows: “Walk on stone-paved paths, watch phoenixes fly, worship at the ancestral shrine, enjoy a year-round hearth fire, and experience warmth in winter and coolness in summer.”

The Dale Dong Mulao Ethnic Folk Exhibition Hall is divided into three sections, focusing on the production and daily life, traditional costumes, and festive celebrations of the Mulao people in Dale Dong and surrounding areas. Through three uniquely styled exhibition spaces, it uses Dale Dong as a window to showcase the unique ethnic and folk culture of the Mulao people in Luocheng.

Transportation Routes:

Route map from Dongmen Town, Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County to Dale Dong, Longteng Village, Xiaochang’an Town (Dongmen Town to Dizhou: asphalt road; Dizhou to Dale Dong: cement-paved road)