1. Sitting rules

When you call on a Dong family, you should respect their sitting rules. First of all, don’t sit on the threshold of the house with your butt facing the divine wall of the main hall, for it is considered that you do not respect the ancestors of the host. In addition, don’t sit on a new red paint four legged stool, which cannot be used casually. A family with such a stool shows that they have just got a new daughter-in-law. The stool is a only for the newly married woman, which is given by her parents as a dowry. After she gives birth to a child, the stool can be used freely. What’s more, there is usually a “Huo-pu” built of wood with a fiery pit in the center in the kitchen of a Dong family, where the host cooks food and receives guests. If you are invited to sit on the Huo-pu, which is only for distinguished guests, you should sit with dignity and don't open your legs wide, because this sitting posture would be considered disrespectful to the hostess. You can't cross your legs either, which would be considered as putting on airs and looking down on the host family.

2. Having a banquet

When a villager holds a banquet for cerebrating a happy event, he must present his written invitation to the potential guests or inform them one or two days in advance, and invite them again to come on the day of holding the banquet to show his hospitality and courtesy. In addition, he would prepare good dessert，tea, wine and cigarette as well as various kinds of delicious food for the guests，who would give the host gift money in return.

3. Boundary knots

Dong people live in the mountainous areas with large pieces of fields and forests which are difficult to distinguish from each other. They have kept a long tradition of using knots to demarcate the boundary lines between their fields and forests or to indicate that a certain piece of field is preserved for afforestation. The knots are usually made of grass or straw and hung on the trees every ten meters away around the preserved field. The knots should be made every year because they are easy to decompose because of weathering and erosion. Those for afforestation are made in spring to prevent people from cutting firewood and grass in the preserved area, while the ones for economic forests are labeled during the harvest season. As long as a knot is hung, people will consciously abide by it. Another function of the knot is to show that something has got its owner and can’t be owned by someone else.

4. Gan’ao parties

Gan’ao, a big party, has been a traditional custom for the Dong people in Xinhuang County. It is generally held on a local festival or a fixed date of the lunar calendar. The Gan’ao in Chaping Town falls on the sixth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar every year, while the ones in Liangsan Town are held yearly on the lunar 19th day of the second month, the 19th day of the sixth month and the 19th day of the ninth month respectively. The location of the big party enjoys quiet environment and beautiful scenery because it is usually on a flat mountain col with clear springs, dense woods, beautiful flowers and green lawns. Tens of thousands of local people would attend the party every time.

5. Lusheng parties

The Dong and Miao people from Jingzhou County like to perform Lusheng dance in their villages, which is often held on a fixed date and place. There are some large-scale parties of Lusheng dance, such as the Lusheng party of Dong people in Xinjie village and that of Miao people in Mianhuadi village on the lunar 15th day of the seventh month, the Lusheng party of Dong people in Shaba village on the second day of the first month and the one of Dong people in Chongneng village on the 4th of the first month, etc. On each of these big days, Lusheng teams from villages dozens of miles around are all dressed up to attend the party, which is very lively and attractive.

6. Birds raising and fighting

It is common for Dong people to raise birds. People in the countrysides mainly raise golden partridges, bamboo patridges, thrushes, and starlings; while those from urban areas often raise some rare species of birds such as parrots, golden canaries, and leiothrixes, etc. Good birds are often regarded as treasures for the reason that they can bring great happiness to their masters who can enjoy their fighting and singing. Thrushes are the most popular birds because they can not only fight, but also sing beautiful songs. Therefore, on every festivals and big days, many people would gather together to have their thrushes fight with each other. The winners would be rewarded  and have red silk draped over their cages.

7. Dragon and lion dances

In Xinhuang county, Dong people from every village like to have dragon dance, lion dance and other activities on lantern festivals. Dragon and lion dances are often accompanied with  various kinds of lanterns, which are very spectacular. After the performance, the dragon would enter the main hall of each house of the village to send the best regards to the families on the new year.

 （Translated by Chen Min）