Liuzhou Ethnic Group
Liuzhou has a permanent resident population of 3.95 million according to statistics in 2016, and 48 ethnic groups. The Zhuang and Dong are the two oldest indigenous ethnic groups in Liuzhou, and other ethnic groups are like the Han, Miao, Yao, Mulao and Hui. The population of ethnic minorities accounts for over 52 % of the total population in Liuzhou. The Zhuang mainly live in regions like Liujiang, liucheng, and Rong'an, the Miao, Dong and Yao mainly live in Rongshui and Sanjiang counties, the Mulao mainly live in regions like Liujiang, and Liucheng, and the Hui mainly live in downtown areas and Luzhai counties. It has two ethnic autonomous counties and five ethnic autonomous townships: Sanjiang Dong autonomous county, Rongshui Miao autonomous county, Tongle Miao autonomous township, Gaoji Yao autonomous township, Tonglian Yao autonomous township, Gunbei Dong autonomous township, Guzhai Mulao autonomous township.
The Dong is one of the main ethnic groups in Liuzhou. The population of the Dong people in Sanjiang Dong autonomous county accounts for about 57% of its total population. The Dong people have their own cultural things, including clothes, musical instrument, song, dance, opera, festival, and building. Lusheng is a musical instrument of the Dong people, and made from bamboo and wood, and it is usually used to make music for dances in festivals. The Dong people has made buildings beautiful in appearance, and ingenious in design, like Gulou and Fengyu bridge or wind and rain bridge. Gulou is a wooden building of several floors in a pagoda pattern, and the floor in the upper is smaller than the one in the lower. Wind and rain bridge is used to help people across rivers, which is also a wooden building supporting by stone base. Sanjiang Dong autonomous county has 186 Gulou buildings, and 110 wind and rain bridges. The Dong singing party or the Dong dage is a group singing without conduct and music. The singing party is usually held around Gulou building or fireplace, and songs are sung by male and female in antiphonal style. Such songs are used to express emotion and praise nature. The Dong people don't have written language, thus such songs are passed down through oral teaching.
The Miao mainly live in Rongshui region. Rongshui Miao autonomous county is located in the north of Liuzhou, and the population of the Miao accounts for about 40% of its total population. The Miao, like the Dong, also have their cultural things, like clothes, song, dance, and building. The Miao people are fond of silver accessories, and the headwear, bracelet, and necklace of females are made from silver. Those silver accessories have important meaning to the Miao. The buildings of the Miao are usually built on slopes, and Diaojiaolou is the general term. Diaojiaolou, the traditional building of the Miao, usually has three floors, and the first floor is used to store things, the second floor is for living, and grains are stored in the third floor which may be shorter than other floors. There is wooden stairs in the side of the second floor to link the other two floors. Pohui is a congregation of the Miao to mourn the dead, pray for well-being, commute and exchange information, and have group entertainment activities. It is originated from nature, which is a special culture of the Miao. The series of Pohui is held from the third day to the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, rich in all kinds of activities, which has a history over one hundred years. The fifteen Pohuis form a complete chain, and every Pohui has a complete ritual. The series of Pohui is included into the first list of national intangible cultural heritage.
