Dong ethnic minority group
Dong ethnic minority group
The population of Dong ethnic minority is approximately 2.9 million.
Ethnic Overview
The Dong people in my country are mainly distributed in Liping, Congjiang, Rongjiang, Tianzhu, Jinping, Sansui, Zhenyuan, Jianhe, Yuping, Guizhou Province, and Hunan Xinhuang, Jingxian, and Tongdong in the province, Sanjiang, Longsheng, and Rongshui in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Enshi, Xuanen, and Xianfeng counties in Hubei. According to the fifth national census in 2000, the Dong population was 2,960,293. The Dong language belongs to the Dongshui branch of the Zhuang-Dong language family of the Sino-Tibetan language family and is divided into two dialects: southern and northern dialects. There was no written language originally, so Chinese script was used. In 1958, a Dong script program in the form of Latin letters was established.
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, there were many tribes living in Guangdong and Guangxi, collectively called "Luoyue" (a branch of "Baiyue"). After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, these tribes were generally called "Liao". "Chi Ya" written by Kuang Lu in the Ming Dynasty said that the Dong people are also part of the "Liao". The Dong people are now distributed adjacent to the Zhuang, Shui, Maonan and other ethnic groups who belong to the "Baiyue" system. Their languages ??belong to the Zhuang-Dong language group, and their customs and habits also have many similarities. The Dong people may have developed from a branch of the "Luo Yue" people. The Dong people went through the development stage of primitive society and directly transitioned from primitive society to feudal society in the Tang Dynasty; some people think that they went through the development stage of slave society. From the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, the Central Dynasty established the Jizhou and Tusi systems in the Dong area, and the society was in an early feudal society. In the early Qing Dynasty, "returning land to local people" was implemented. The Qing Dynasty directly ruled the Dong people, and the land was increasingly concentrated, entering the stage of feudal landlord economic development. However, some remnants of clan organizations within Dong society, such as "joint funds" with the nature of tribal alliances based on regions, are still prevalent. In each clan or village, an "elder" or "township elder" presides over affairs and uses customary laws to maintain social order. "Combined payment" is divided into different sizes. The "small clan" consists of several adjacent villages; the "big clan" consists of several "small clans". The "small money head" is recommended by the villagers, and the "large money head" is decided by the "small money head". The "agreement" agreed upon by the government must be abided by. The People's Congress is the highest authority organization. All adult men must participate to discuss matters within the contract. This organization was preserved until the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China.
Socioeconomic
After the Opium War in 1840, with the invasion of foreign capitalist forces, the Dong area gradually became a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. Under the cruel exploitation of landlords and loan sharks, the Dong people live in extreme poverty. Until liberation, the feudal landlord economy still dominated the Dong area. In some places, the average land held by landlords per person is more than 20 times that of poor and lower-middle peasants. The landlord class exploits peasants through land rent. The exploitation of farmers by commercial capital and loan shark capital is also extremely serious. During the rule of the Kuomintang, the reactionary Kuomintang government implemented the reactionary Baojia system in the Dong area. It used some upper-class feudal figures to act as puppet townships and security chiefs to help the tiger, and carried out fascist rule over the working people in the form of "continuous protection and continuous sitting", which made the Dong people The people fell into an abyss of infinite suffering.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, on August 19, 1951, the Dong people of Longsheng County, Guangxi, and the Zhuang, Yao, Miao and other fraternal ethnic groups established the Longsheng Autonomous County. Guangxi Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County was established on December 3, 1952. On May 7, 1954, Hunan Tongtong Dong Autonomous County was established. Guizhou Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was established on July 23, 1956. On December 5 of the same year, Hunan Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County was established. On November 7, 1984, Yuping Dong Autonomous County in Guizhou Province was established. The implementation and implementation of the policy of regional ethnic autonomy has realized the Dong people's desire to be the masters of their own country. These autonomous areas completed democratic reforms in the early 1950s. In 1954, Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County adopted the democratic consultation reform method to carry out land reform. Subsequently, these autonomous areas completed the socialist transformation of private ownership of the means of production and carried out socialist construction. Especially after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party, changes occurred in the Dong areas. These places have adopted new agricultural production technologies, and food production has increased year by year. Agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, sideline production, and fishery have also been developed in an all-round way. Local industries have developed greatly. Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture has established small and medium-sized local industries such as machinery, fertilizers, cement, and papermaking. Most villages in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County have access to electricity. The development of hydropower has greatly promoted the development of agricultural mechanization. Before the founding of New China, there were only less than 500 kilometers of highways in southeastern Guizhou; now, the Hunan-Guizhou Railway traverses southeastern Guizhou, and counties and counties have highways, and townships are connected to cars. Before liberation, there were only one middle school in each county and no more than three primary schools. Now, middle schools have spread to the districts, and primary schools have spread to the teams. A large number of young people have entered secondary schools and even universities for further studies. Schools at all levels and types have trained a large number of national cadres, teachers, technicians, engineers, experts and scholars of Dong origin. Some Dong villages even took matters into their own hands and set up amateur night schools. In the past, Dong people used to seek help from witches and ghosts when they were sick, but now they seek medical treatment. Vicious infectious diseases such as smallpox, malaria, cholera, and dysentery have basically disappeared, effectively ensuring people's health and promoting the development of production. People's lives are booming, and many families have sewing machines, bicycles, radios, and televisions.
Culture and Art
The culture and art of the Dong people are rich and colorful, and they are known as "the hometown of poetry and the ocean of songs". Dong poetry has rigorous rhythm, a wide range of themes, healthy and clear moods, and vivid metaphors. The lyrical poems are beautiful, delicate, sincere and passionate. ; Narrative poetry is euphemistic and full of meaning, and is an extremely precious cultural heritage of Dong folk literature. The lyrics of poems are mostly based on the themes of human origin, ethnic migration and customary law, and have historical value. Among them, "Zhulang Niangmei", "Mang Sui", "Sanlang Five Sisters" and so on are the most widely circulated. The music tunes are numerous and beautiful. The "big song" led by the crowd and multi-voice chorus has a loud voice, majestic momentum and free rhythm. Pipa songs are named after the accompaniment of Pipa or "Geyiqin" (called ki212 in Dong language, commonly known as Niu Ba Leg). The melody is cheerful and smooth, which is unique to the Dong people. Folk stories and legends have a wide range of themes, various forms, twists and turns, fascinating plots, and romantic expression techniques. They reflect the Dong people's rich imagination and good wishes to pursue light and defeat evil. Dong opera developed from the original narrative rap and began in the early 19th century. According to legend, it was created by Wu Wencai (about 1798-1845) of the Dong ethnic group in Liping. The steps are simple, the movements are simple, and the tunes and singing styles are diverse. When singing, they use Huqin and Geyiqin as accompaniment, beat gongs, cymbals and drums to make a scene. They wear Dong clothes and do not wear facial makeup, which is full of strong national color. Dong folk dances include "Duoye", Lusheng dance, dragon dance, lion dance, etc. "Duoye" is a mass collective singing and dancing. Men or women hold hands and put their shoulders to each other, form a circle, and sing while walking. Lusheng dance is a collective dance in which dancers play the reed and dance at the same time. In addition to the above-mentioned musical instruments, there are also Dong flute, suona, etc. Handicrafts include cross-stitching, embroidery, painting, carving, paper-cutting, paper engraving, rattan weaving, and bamboo weaving. Embroidery is a craft that Dong women are good at. They embroider various patterns, figures, animals, flowers, grass and insects on their clothing. The images are vivid, the colors are gorgeous and harmonious. Silver accessories include collars, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, silver hairpins, and silver flowers. Textiles include Dong brocade, Dong handkerchief, and Dong cloth. The "egg cloth", which is first dyed with indigo and then coated with egg white, is brightly colored and is a unique clothing material of the Dong ethnic group.
The Dong people are good at stone and wood architecture, and drum towers and bridges are the crystallization of their architectural art. The drum tower is a wooden structure that is threaded together with tenons instead of nails. There are three, five or even fifteen floors, with 4 or 6 sides and 8 sides, 4 to 5 feet high, with flying pavilions and double eaves. It is shaped like a pagoda. It is majestic and majestic. It is the symbol of the clan or village, and it is also a place for public gatherings. . Fengyu Bridge is a wooden bridge with stone piers, long corridors, pavilions and pavilions. It is majestic and magnificent. The Chengyang Bridge in Sanjiang County is the most famous and has been listed as a cultural relic unit under national key protection.
Customs and habits
Most Dong people wear self-spun, self-woven and self-dyed Dong cloth, and like green, purple, white and blue. Men's attire is the same as that of the Han people living in cities and towns, with only slight differences in remote mountainous areas. They wear collarless shorts with right lapels, trousers and a large headband. Some have top hair. Women's attire varies from place to place. Some have leggings, clothes with shoulder straps, large buttons studded with silver beads, and braided hair; some have knee-length dresses, cuffs and trouser legs with piping or lace, and have their hair tied up; Clothes, large trouser legs, Cambodian belts, headbands, and buns; those with double-breasted clothes, chest linings, pleated skirts, aprons, leggings or leggings, and silver vertebrae in buns; those with wide sleeves and big lapels, The clothes are embroidered with dragon and phoenix flowers, the skirt is knee-length, and the hair is tied up; there are also those wearing Han costume. Generally, people like to wear silver jewelry.
The Dong people’s diet is mainly rice. In the Pingba area, they mainly eat japonica rice, while in the mountainous areas, they eat more glutinous rice. Generally like chili pepper and sour taste. The "grilled fish" and "grilled meat" processed by ourselves will not go bad after being stored for more than ten years. Treating guests with oil tea is a hospitality habit of the Dong people. Dong villages are located near mountains and rivers, and the southern region is the most distinctive. There are many ancient trees at the beginning and end of the village, the "Wind and Rain Bridge" spans the stream, and there are fish ponds all over the village. They live together according to their clan surnames, and the Drum Tower stands among them. They live in a "ganglan" house, with people living upstairs, while livestock are kept and sundries are stored downstairs.
"Yue Ye" is a social activity in which people from one village visit another village and enjoy playing the Lusheng, singing or performing operas. Bullfighting in farm leisure time is one of the collective entertainments. At that time, people of all ages will gather together, and there will be huge crowds of people. There will be cheers, gongs and drums, and iron cannons shaking the valley. When guests from other villages pass by the village, they block them at the edge of the village and respond with songs, which is called "blocking the village gate". "Sitting on the moon while singing" is also called "sitting on the moon while singing", which is a general term for young men and women to socialize and fall in love. The northern Dong area is called "Wanshan", where young men and women gather in groups to sing love songs on the hillside after work. In the southern Dong area, it is called "Zouzhai" or "Zou girl". In the evening, the girls go together to do needlework in the house. The young men from the Hakka village come with instruments to accompany and sing duets, telling each other about their love. When they are in love, men and women "change notes" with each other. (Giving gifts) To establish love and make an appointment as husband and wife. The Dong people in Fulu and other places in Sanjiang County often gather in Guangping on March 3 or February 2 of the lunar calendar. They use a special fire bag to fly into the air with an iron ring. When it lands, everyone will grab it, and the winner will be heavily rewarded. , called "grabbing fireworks".
Marriage among the Dong people is monogamous. Marriage between aunts and cousins ??is more popular, and aunts and cousins ??cannot intermarry if they are of different generations. It is a custom for women to "stay at home" (i.e. "not stay in the husband's house") after marriage. Before liberation, the basic social unit of the Dong people was the feudal patriarchal patrilineal family. Women's status in society and family is lower than that of men, and women are not allowed to touch the bronze drum; men or elders are not allowed to go upstairs if they are downstairs.
Only after marriage can Dong girls enjoy the "private houses" accumulated by their parents and themselves, as well as a small amount of "girls' land" and "girls' land". Men inherit the family business, and those who have no heirs can raise adopted children.
Funerals are generally the same as those of the Han people, with burial in the ground. There is also a burial custom in some areas. After a person dies, the coffin is parked in the suburbs. After everyone of the same clan and generation of the deceased has died, they can then choose a day to bury the deceased together.
Religious beliefs and important festivals
Believe in many gods and worship natural objects. Ancient trees, boulders, wells and bridges are all objects of worship. With the female god "Sa Sui" (meaning the first grandmother who founded the village) as the supreme god, every village has established a "Sa Sui Temple". Use chicken divination, grass divination, egg divination, snail divination, rice divination and hexagram divination to determine good or bad luck.
The most common festivals of the Dong people are the Spring Festival, worshiping the Ox God (on the eighth day of April or the sixth day of June in the lunar calendar), and the New Eating Festival (in the seventh month of the lunar calendar). In some areas, the Dong New Year is celebrated in October or November. Due to the exchanges between ethnic groups, the Dong people also have festivals such as Qingming, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival.