Dong Ethnic Stilt Houses

　　The Dong people’s stilt houses are built primarily from fir wood, and along with wind-and-rain bridges and drum towers, they are representative works of Dong wooden architecture. These houses generally have three stories, though some have two or four. The outer pillars on the second and third floors often protrude outward by several feet to form corridors or expand the living space, resulting in stilted pillars surrounding the entire building—hence the name “stilt house.” In terms of craftsmanship, they combine the mortise-and-tenon and raised-beam techniques, interlocking beams of various sizes between pillars without using a single iron nail, yet remaining very sturdy. As the Dong region is humid year-round, the ground floor is uninhabited to avoid dampness—it's used for raising poultry and livestock or storing farm tools. People live on the second and third floors. The front part of the second floor is an open-air corridor, bright and spacious, serving as a place for the family to rest or engage in handicrafts. The rear section is an inner room with a fireplace, usually housing the ancestral altar and functioning as a gathering spot for the family to keep warm in winter and cook meals. The third floor is even more ventilated and dry, used not only for sleeping and daily living but also divided into small rooms for storing grain and other items. The Dong people take pride in aesthetics and enjoy decorating their homes, with lattice patterns forming floral designs on doors, windows, and eaves, sometimes even featuring carved birds and flowers or colorful paintings, combining beauty with practicality.

　　Dong stilt houses are generally built one per household. When brothers grow up and separate, they construct new stilt houses. Interestingly, some brothers build connected stilt houses for convenience, sharing a common corridor, making it easy to interact and gather—hence the saying, “Dong houses stand tall, reaching the clouds; you can walk the whole village without ever coming down.”

　　The construction of stilt houses is regarded by the Dong people as fundamental to “prosperity for generations and success in all endeavors,” so great importance is placed on the rituals and customs surrounding their building. Processes such as selecting the site, breaking ground, felling trees, marking lines, erecting pillars, installing beams, opening the door, and moving in all follow specific ceremonial practices. For example, before building a stilt house, the village’s “geomancer” is invited to use a compass to determine the orientation, assess feng shui, and divine good or bad fortune. The groundbreaking must take place on an auspicious date, and after offering sacrifices to the earth god and ancestors, construction may begin.

　　Source: Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County Tourism Bureau

Sanjiang Chengyang Dong Ethnic Eight Villages Scenic Area

Chengyang Yongji Bridge

Pingzhai

Ma'anzhai

Yanzhai

Dongzhai Feishan Temple

Sanjiang Pujì Bridge

Helong Bridge

Pingzhai Drum Tower

Ma'anzhai Drum Tower

Yanzhai Drum Tower