Jinzhu Zhuang Village

Jinzhu Zhuang Village

Named after its golden bamboo groves, Jinzhu Zhuang Village is the “First Village” among the Longji Thirteen Villages. With 80 households and a population of over 450, it is a typical Zhuang ethnic village in China, acclaimed as the “Foremost Northern Zhuang Village.”

Introduction

In 1992, Jinzhu Zhuang Village was honored by UNESCO as a “Model Zhuang Village.” The legendary King Moyi, totems, ancient village gates, and century-old wells tell the rich history of the Zhuang people. The stilted houses here feature a unique architectural style that has been well preserved. You can listen to beautiful mountain songs sung by locals. The Zhuang people are very hospitable. During meals, villagers often sing toasting songs to encourage drinking. When you're warmed up by the drinks, a group of elegantly dressed Zhuang girls will serve cups of Longji rice wine and sing the generations-old toasting songs. The lyrics go something like: “The winding path is paved with bluish stones, Zhuang girls welcome honored guests. Though the food and wine are simple, they carry our heartfelt respect.” If you finish your drink in one go, the girls will continue with: “Longji rice wine is clear and pure, offered to esteemed guests with cheer. Please take the cup and drink, wishing you everlasting youth.” If you have a good capacity for alcohol, you can stand up and say “Gan le!” (meaning “Bottoms up!”). I’ll teach you how to say “Gan le” in the Zhuang language: “Luo sui.” This musical exchange fosters friendship and lets you truly experience authentic Zhuang culture.

Cultural History

Jinzhu Zhuang Village is located at the foot of the Longji Rice Terraces in Jinzhu Village, Longji Township, Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, 20 kilometers southeast of the county seat. It is the first Zhuang village encountered when entering the Longji scenic area. Historically inhabited solely by the Zhuang people, it has long been an isolated agricultural community and is a classic example of a traditional Zhuang village. In 1992, it was praised by UNESCO as a model Zhuang village. It is the foremost of the Longji Thirteen Villages. In 1993, Longsheng Tourism Company invested 150,000 yuan to develop the Jinzhu Zhuang Ethnic Tourism Village using the area’s existing vernacular architecture.

Jinzhu Village was first built during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. Nestled against the mountains and near the water, it was constructed on the steep slopes at the foot of the Longji Rice Terraces, forming a spectacular “terraced village.” The wooden houses are spacious and dry, and the village is neat and pleasant to the eye. There are uncarved stone gates and wells, and a statue of King Moyi (a hero from Zhuang folklore) hanging from an ancient tree in the village center, acting as a guardian over the passage of time. The village covers an area of 50,000 square meters, with a built-up area of about 3,500 square meters. It is home to 154 households and over 700 people. Each household occupies an area of 100–200 square meters. All structures are made of fir wood, connected using mortise-and-tenon joints, with stone foundations and high stone terraces, maintaining the traditional three-story stilted (Ma Lan) wooden house style. Most are small houses with three posts and two or three bays, or larger ones with five posts and three bays, with overhanging eaves on both ends, gable-and-hip roofs shaped like an inverted V, single eaves, sloped on all four sides, covered with small blue tiles, and fully walled. The ground floor is raised for storing farm tools and housing livestock; the second floor is the main living area, with the central hall and hearth flanked by bedrooms; the third floor is used for storage of grain and miscellaneous items, with small vents at the gable peaks for air circulation and light. Each household has open drainage ditches, and stone paths lead throughout the village. The village uses mountain spring water, channeled through bamboo pipes and stone troughs, with stone-lined wells. Visiting Jinzhu Village and stepping into a Zhuang stilt house, you can taste “Longji Tea,” once a tribute to the Qing imperial court, the “Eastern Magic Water” known to Westerners—Longji rice wine—and Zhuang-style five-colored sticky rice. The village’s ethnic cuisine includes dishes like chicken steamed in bamboo tubes, sticky rice in bamboo tubes, and all-bamboo cups and bowls, offering a rustic charm. Zhuang songs and dances here are equally charming and traditional. The grass skirt dance, where dancers wear ritual masks and straw skirts, originates from ancient Zhuang coming-of-age ceremonies for girls. The shoulder-pole dance, with its fast-paced rhythmic beats on bamboo poles, is referred to by tourists as the “Chinese Samba,” celebrating harvests. The gourd dance, expressing gratitude to ancestors for inventing brewing techniques, uses graceful movements to interpret wine songs. At the village dance square, you can also see the Zhuang “Shigong Dance,” “Shoulder-Pole Dance,” “Bench Dragon Dance,” the unique “Wedding Ceremony,” playful “Embroidered Ball Tossing,” and the mysterious “Maiden Stone.”

Source: Longsheng Tourism Network