A recently launched high-speed rail connection has opened up historical Sanjiang County to visitors for one-day and overnight trips. Previously limited to adventurous visitors with a lot of time on their hands, the trip to Sanjiang now takes about 50 minutes by high speed train from Guilin. Located at the juncture of Guangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces, Sanjiang County is home to a number of ancient Dong villages where old customs and traditions still survive to this day. The Dong people are one of China’s 55 ethnic minorities renowned for their unique architecture, in particular a form of covered bridge known as the “wind and rain bridge”. The district comprises eight traditional Dong minority villages, each a repository of spectacular architecture. Houses are all made of wood, with no metal used in construction. Centrally located in most Dong villages are traditional drum towers, pagoda-shaped buildings rising up seven to thirteen floors once used for important announcements and entertaining.

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