广西程阳侗乡行

A Trip to Dong-Inhabited Area in Chengyang

农历正月初七的早晨,我们赶往广西三江县城东北部约20公里处的程阳乡.其间有很长一段路顺林溪河而行,著名的侗族"程阳八寨":马鞍寨、平寨、岩寨、平坦寨、东寨、大寨、吉昌寨、平埔寨就散落在河流两侧,别具一格的风雨廊桥成了这些寨子相连成片的纽带.而寨子里都有多重檐攒尖的鼓楼,廊桥与鼓楼成了侗寨富有民族特色的景观,列为国家重点文物保护单位的程阳永济桥被誉为世界四大历史名桥之一."八寨"里另有合龙桥、普济桥等著名风雨桥.据说,整个三江县有108座风雨桥,仅林溪河上就有十多座.

It is said that Fireworks Festival stems from the development of business and has a 200-year-plus history. Aiming at drumming up business, the merchants in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guangxi set off firecrackers to solicit customers from all quarters. A competition of scrambling for firecrackers is also held. Those who seized firecrackers will be given material reward. Later on, the event was gradually developing into a special festival for the Dong people. On the festive day, which falls in the January on the lunar calendar, the people of various ethnic groups from the villages far and near in Chengyang area, dressed in their holiday best come to celebrate the festival with jubilation. The strong ethnic custom attracts numerous visitors.