Tradition and transmutation: a comparison study of Dong minority villages and Drum towers between the Pingtan river basin and Jiudong area

The Pingtan river basin in Hunan and the Jiudong area in Guizhou are two typical Dong minority settlements in the southern Dong area. However, an evident difference reveals during the field survey from a global (village level) and local (architecture level)view. This paper conducts a comparison study between these two regions, ranging from the architectural composition of the villages, and the construction techniques of Drum Towers to the façade configuration of Drum Towers. Finally, this paper aims to unveil the main cause behind the differentiation, exploring the proximity to Han concentration and interlinks between these two regions.