Liuzhou Isn't Just About Luosifen: Step into a Dong Village and Watch a Thousand-Person Duoye Competition
I used to think of Liuzhou as the city of luosifen, a heavily industrialized place where well-known domestic auto brands and excavator brands were born. Before coming to Liuzhou, I assumed it was just another ordinary city. But this trip showed me that Liuzhou is so much more.
As a fan of slurping noodles, I traveled here. The 18-kilometer drive from the airport to downtown offered no striking scenery, but the taxi driver’s enthusiastic talk about the four local enterprises Liuzhou people are most proud of really caught my interest.
After happily finishing a bowl of luosifen, I headed to the Yunding Hotel. This Instagram-famous hotel offers panoramic views of the city and the river, and it’s the tallest building in Liuzhou. From the observation deck on the top floor, I could take in the Liujiang River and the bustling cityscape, completely changing my initial impression of Liuzhou.
Later, I visited Ma’anshan Park, climbed to the top, and snapped some ‘close-up photos’ with Liuzhou’s skyline.
The ordinary small city I had imagined had been transformed. Skyscrapers soared, traffic flowed endlessly across the bridges, and the city hummed along in orderly fashion, shaping the new, modern Liuzhou I was now seeing.
Yaobu Ancient Town is a very young ‘ancient town’, built along the river with the aim of recreating the old charm of Yaobu and reviving the prosperity of its ancient wharf. It features both commercial streets and ethnic-culture zones. A night visit offers splendid riverside nightscapes and photo-worthy spots, making it well worth a trip.
On my second day, I delved into Liuzhou’s industrial history. The Liuzhou Industrial Museum was truly impressive. Right at the entrance, I saw Liuzhou’s iconic industrial products on display—an excavator and an old-fashioned green train carriage.
Inside, the four industries the taxi driver had boasted about were on full display. What struck me most was the evolution of Wuling vehicles. Now I finally understood the pride in Liuzhou people’s eyes whenever they talked about their city’s industry.
It’s about a two-hour drive from downtown to Mengwu Miao Village. Upon arrival, be sure to try a bowl of the local specialty, sour soup fish, before strolling around.
The village puts on daily shows, including barefoot knife-walking, tug-of-war, and a mock Miao wedding where spectators can join in. It’s a highly interactive and distinctive experience.
Not far from the village, Shuanglonggou (Double Dragon Ravine) scenic area awaited. Entering it, I was once again stunned by the beauty—bubbling springs, dense pines and cypresses lining the creek, like a fairyland. At the top, there are plenty of thrilling activities. I tried the jungle zip-line. Having a terrible fear of heights, I spent a long time psyching myself up. But as I flew over the forest, I realized how stunning the gorge really was, and the zip-line wasn’t as scary as I’d imagined.
Chengyang Eight Villages was my favorite part of the trip. It’s a Dong ethnic settlement built beside water and surrounded by mountains, consisting of eight villages—hence the name.
I visited three adjacent ones: Ma’an Village, Ping Village, and Yan Village. Ma’an has the oldest drum tower and serves as the heart of the settlement; Ping boasts the tallest single-pillar drum tower. The villages are linked by wind-and-rain bridges, and the residents live in harmony. Every day, elderly villagers gather at the drum towers to chat, weave, or embroider, leading a carefree life in this secluded world.
The villages also offer plenty of tasty food. I was most struck by the oil tea, which tastes somewhat like butter tea but is less oily. Adding some popcorn into the tea makes it really delicious.
Recently, they’ve been holding a thousand-person Duoye competition—that’s a Dong singing and dancing contest. Each village sends a team, and you can see the impressive talents of the Dong youth and hear their singing, as clear as larks. It’s a very special experience.
If you have more time, stay a few extra days in a local guesthouse, wake up to a bowl of oil tea, feast on a communal hundred-family banquet, and explore all eight villages. You’ll definitely fall in love with this hidden paradise.
Travelogue Contents
1. Cloud-Top Sky Palace – Aerial City Tour
2. Night Visit to Yaobu – Enjoying the Dazzling Liujiang River
3. A Journey Through Liuzhou’s Industrial History
4. Dreaming Back to the Miao Village – Challenging Myself at Shuanglonggou
5. A Thousand Miles of Mountains – Autumn in Chengyang
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