Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Dance of the Bronze Drum

The White-Trousered Yao are a warm and hospitable people who still preserve many ancient customs. Most Yao villagers live in remote, rocky mountainous regions. Unlike Xiaodong Village, with its picturesque mountains, clear waters, and emerald bamboo groves, the villages of the White-Trousered Yao are often surrounded by harsh natural environments.

In their arduous struggle against nature, the White-Trousered Yao have created a unique culture of their own, with the bronze drum dance being the most representative. The bronze drum before Kang Ning was said to be over five hundred years old—a battle drum used by the ancestors of Xiaodong Village during times of war. Now, as times have changed, it is only brought out during the lull of the farming season, whether to celebrate a bountiful harvest, mark important festivals, or mourn the passing of an elder.

The bronze drum is regarded as a symbol of the people and a token of familial prosperity. Its use is rare; each time it is paraded, accompanied by song and dance, it not only serves as entertainment and a means for villages to connect, but also becomes a precious occasion for the young men and women of the White-Trousered Yao to meet and form bonds. Many young couples find their ideal partners on the nights after the bronze drum dance.

Kang Ning speculated that, amidst the solitary and monotonous life of these near-primitive villages, the young men and women must all long for the golden autumn and the bronze drum dance—especially for the wonderful night that follows such an event.

Yet, amidst all these joyful scenes, what drew Kang Ning’s attention the most were the bowls of tender Yao mountain chicken and black pork on the low tables, for by then, his stomach was already growling with hunger.

The bronze drum, about a meter in diameter, stood in the center of the sunlit courtyard before the elder’s house. Kang Ning, the old lady, and several elderly villagers sat on the steps to watch. The clan chief, his mouth full of yellowed teeth, had shed his simple, stoic demeanor from the night before, donning a brand-new traditional outfit of the White-Trousered Yao. With an imposing air, he struck the bronze drum, while over two hundred Yao men and women formed two circles around the drum, playing bamboo pipes and singing and dancing. The spectacle was so dazzling and infectious that Kang Ning momentarily forgot his hunger.

With the old lady’s careful explanations, Kang Ning gained a deeper understanding of the history and customs of the White-Trousered Yao. Yet he could not get used to one thing: though the women, dressed in pleated skirts of black and blue embroidered with edges of red and yellow silk, danced with an ethereal grace, their simple tops—just two pieces of fabric joined front and back—did nothing to conceal their bodies. Through the wide gaps on either side, all was laid bare, for the women of the White-Trousered Yao had never taken to the habit of wearing any undergarments.

Once the drum stopped and the dance ended, the courtyard that had held hundreds quickly emptied. Back inside, seated before the banquet, Kang Ning was surprised—he had expected to be plied with drink again, but instead felt relieved. What startled him, though, was that only elders filled the hall.

Kang Ning turned to the village head beside him and asked, “Brother, why didn’t the villagers stay to eat?”

The village head laughed, “Ah, you don’t know! The young people have all rushed up the mountain in a hurry, and most of the others have gone to drink at their relatives’ or sworn brothers’ houses. The ten of us here are just old folks with nowhere else to go—if we don’t drink together, where else would we go? Come, have a drink!”

He raised his bowl and clinked it warmly with Kang Ning’s.

After putting down his bowl, the village head recounted an amusing tale. “Last autumn, during the bronze drum festival, as soon as night fell, all the young men and women went up the mountain. A deputy county magistrate from the regional government was stationed in our village at the time. That evening, he saw young men flashing their torches into the bamboo forest, and girls would come out, hand in hand with their chosen boys, and disappear together. The official grabbed a flashlight himself and started waving it around in the bamboo grove. Next thing he knew, stones came flying and struck him on the head. By the time he reached my house, he had two lumps the size of eggs on his scalp. Early the next morning, he slunk away in embarrassment! That self-important fellow had no idea—each pair has their own secret signal, and how you use your flashlight is a matter of great subtlety!”

Kang Ning couldn’t help laughing in amazement, marveling at how lovable and admirable his Yao friends were. His own warmth and kindness soon won the elders’ affection.

Midway through the banquet, after offering toasts to the elders and village heads, Kang Ning said, “Uncles and elders, thank you for your generous hospitality. I will keep everything I’ve seen and heard here in my heart. I must leave tomorrow, so let me toast you all—may you have long life and good health!”

A hush fell over the room. After a while, the clan chief took a sip of wine and set down his bowl. “At the very least, you must stay another day—three days is our custom for a guest. Otherwise, your grandaunt will not be pleased.”

Seeing that Kang Ning was still puzzled, the jovial village head explained, “It’s our tradition to keep a guest for three days to fulfill our duty as hosts. Brother, there’s no need to rush off. Otherwise, you’ll upset the elders.”

Kang Ning smiled. “It’s not really a rush. I just wanted to visit Libo in Guizhou—I’ve heard the scenery there is enchanting. Since leaving my job, I’ve had nothing much to do, so I thought I’d travel a bit. Once I go back to work, there’ll be no time left.”

“Then why the hurry? Are you looking down on our poor Yao village, thinking we can’t afford to host you?” the old lady said, suddenly appearing and glaring at Kang Ning before sitting down behind the clan chief.

“No, no! Grandaunt, please don’t be angry. I’ll stay another day,” Kang Ning explained quickly.

The village head laughed. “Why not join us the day after tomorrow to hunt wild boar? A few old friends from Lihu to the north have been inviting us. Once the autumn harvest begins, we won’t have time. North of Lihu is Libo—just two mountains over. Last year, we drove the boars as far as there, and many of our villagers have relatives on that side. It’ll be even closer for you to reach Libo from there.”

Kang Ning readily agreed, and the old lady and clan chief were delighted. Once again, everyone raised their bowls in a celebratory toast.