Congjiang is a is a city on the southeastern border of Guizhou. It is a major transit city between Guangxi province to the east and Kaili/Guiyang to the northwest. It is also the transport hub for the minority villages in south-eastern Guizhou.

7.5 km from Congjiang, Biasha is a small Miao village with very little signs of modern influence. The people leave the village only to sell firewood and or visit the market, and both men and women can be seen in traditional costumes. The women’s costume closely resembles that of nearby Miao villages. The men’s costume consists of a dark blue button-front shirt and wide-legged trousers, often described as a samurai’s outfit. The men’s hairstyle in this village is very unique, with most of their hair very short, and a long ponytail which tied in a knot on top. The men mostly make a living by hunting. All male adults carry a knife and a spear wherever they go.

Gaozeng, a settlement of three villages about 8km down the road to Zhaoxing, is also worth a visit. With a history of over 600 years, this village of around 2000 people is 90% Dong. Gaozeng was the first village in South-East Guizhou to achieve the status of a "cultural heritage area” because of its long history, traditional architecture and picturesque setting. Since then the village has modernised to some extent, however the villagers are fighting to keep its status as an ancient town and have since rebuilt much of the town's old architecture that was destroyed by a devastating fire in 1988.

Xiaohuang is situated 20 kilometres from Congjiang. It is a typical Dong village of over 3000 people, most famous for its Dong chorus singing. This village made the Guinness Book of Records in November, 2003 by gathering a group of 1212 locals to sing together. While it is becoming increasingly Han in appearance and increasingly commercial, the performance in Xiaohuang is worth seeing, especially if you don't have the time to hike into more remote Dong chorus villages such as Zaidang, near Rongjiang or Zhaoxing.

View map l View more pics from around Congjiang