The Dong people number about 2.9 million and make up one of China’s 56 minority groups.Some trace the appearance of the Dong to the Song Dynasty (960-1279) when they migrated southward due to the advancing Mongols; but other references place them as far back as the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).
Referring to themselves as Gaeml or Kam, the Dong have become renowned for their skillful carpentry and architectural creativity as with their preponderant towers and the covered bridge.
The Dong live mostly in Hunan, Guangxi, and Guizhou, where I lived for 4 years, and speak a language that belongs to the Kradai family, which has some commonality with Sino-Tibetian languages. The Dong language has 9 tones.
Dong dress is traditionally rich in silver jewelry, dyed woven fabrics, and embroideries of plants, animals, and legends with a color palette of blue, black, white, and purple.
Music and song plays a major role in the village life of the Dong people.
Photo by Jialiang Gao GNU Free Documentation License at Wikipedia.
