National Geographic Traveler - USA (2019-12 & 2020-01)

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IF YOU LIKE

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Step into

villages mostly

untouched

by time

HOW TO GO

The Guiyang–Guangzhou

High-Speed Railway connects

the megacity of Guangzhou

(northwest of Hong Kong) with

Guizhou province, including

station stops in ethnic regions.

Historically one of China’s most isolated and

undiscovered provinces, southwestern Guizhou

is gaining global notice as a cloud computing

and big-data center. The mountainous region’s

plentiful water and cool climate are draws for

Apple, Huawei, and other tech powerhouses that

have established or are building facilities in the

provincial capital, Guiyang.

This buzz around bytes has improved access

to the entire province, including the traditional

villages of ethnic minority groups, such as the

Bouyei, Dong, and Miao. In eastern Guizhou’s

indigenous villages, in particular, days unfold

at a slow pace and people continue farming and

textile traditions—such as spinning, embroidery,

and batik—practiced since the sixth century.

On guided tours (by appointment) of Dimen

Dong Cultural Eco-Museum, a self-sufficient

community encompassing several villages,

visitors likely will hear Dong folk singing, recog-

nized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

in 2009, or see master artisans demonstrating

traditional Dong folk crafts, such as papermaking

and handloom weaving.

VISIT

ANCIENT TRADITIONS

CULTURE

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54 NATGEOTRAVEL.COM

PROVINCE, CHINA

GUIZHOU

WHEN TO GO

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