Chéngyáng Wind and Rain Bridge in northern Guangxi.

The seventy-eight metre long Chéngyáng Wind and Rain Bridge is the most exquisite bridge built by the Dong, an ethnic minority living in China’s northern Guangxi Province, among other places. Several more of these bridges, albeit smaller ones, connect a number of pretty Dong villages in the area. Another typical feature of these villages is their drum tower, a pagoda-like tower which serves as a religious and meeting place. The Dong are renowned carpenters and not a single nail is used in their constructions. Although concrete has found its way here, like everywhere in China, fir logs are still being prepared on the village square, to be used in the construction of some impressive new wooden houses.