Unique Culture of Dongtumo Village Boosts Rural Tourism

In recent years, targeting the goals of improving tourism reception capacity, elevating residents’ living standards, integrating employment resources and inheriting ethnic culture, Dongtumo Village has vigorously developed rural tourism and strived to build an ethnic village with distinctive Mongolian features.

Dongtumo Village under Hujitumo Town governs two natural hamlets, covering a total area of 122,847 mu. The village has 378 households with a population of 1,371, among which Mongolians account for 72% of the total population. It is a Mongolian settlement dominated by traditional animal husbandry.

In recent years, Dongtumo Village has increased investment in infrastructure to upgrade the construction of its ethnic characteristic village. Over 15 million yuan has been invested to renovate seven streets step by step. Courtyard walls of households on both sides of the streets have all been reconstructed into traditional buildings with strong ethnic charm. To date, a 210-meter cultural wall featuring Mongolian folk customs has been painted, a 350-meter iron art street wall decorated with traditional Mongolian ox carts has been newly built, and seven gate porches embedded with Mongolian cultural elements have been erected.

Residential houses along the streets have undergone comprehensive renovation. Roofs are painted with Mongolian patterns, and seven new Mongolian yurts have been constructed. Solar water heaters have been installed for every household to upgrade the quality of beautiful courtyards.

Traditional musical instrument performances by folk artists have been integrated into rural tourism. Villagers engaged in tourism services have received professional training to boost service quality and overall reception capacity. Living environments have been continuously optimized: poultry are raised in centralized pens in the village. A fire sprinkler truck and self-propelled road sweeper are deployed for daily garbage collection to ensure all waste is cleared on the same day.

The construction of this unique Mongolian customs street has beautified the village environment, promoted the inheritance of ethnic culture, and endowed Dongtumo Village with the charming appearance of a featured ethnic village.

Meanwhile, the village leverages the driving force of rural tourism. Relying on Amuta Mongolian Custom Island and Silver Sand Bay Scenic Area, a total of 17 Mongolian-style farm homestays and inns have been newly opened along the tourist road, adding more than 60 beds. Rural accommodation has evolved from original heated brick kang beds in farmhouses to twin standard rooms, and outdoor public latrines of farmers have been rebuilt into indoor bathrooms.

Authentic Mongolian cuisine is served to visitors, with roasted whole lamb, mare’s milk wine, milk tablets and other traditional Mongolian foods winning great popularity among tourists. All ingredients used in homestays are locally sourced, including home-raised chickens, ducks, geese, sheep and pigs, as well as greenhouse vegetables, embodying the concept of eco-friendly green tourism.

Stalls for agricultural and sideline products are set up on the village cultural square for tourists to purchase local goods. The development of catering, accommodation and other service industries has driven local planting and breeding sectors, absorbing more than 160 surplus rural laborers and generating an average annual income increase of 10,000 yuan per household.

In addition, greater efforts have been made to protect intangible cultural heritage. Relying on Wang Qing, an inheritor of Mongolian four-string fiddle music, the village has intensified skill teaching and cultivated two new inheritors of this art form.

Village cultural venues are fully utilized. Four ethnic art troupes have been formed, which regularly stage performances of four-string fiddle music, Andai Dance and Chopstick Dance for tourists in villages and homestays. Elder Wang Qing is invited to schools to teach children four-string fiddle, passing down the ethnic cultural lineage.

Illustrated murals on cultural walls spread historical allusions of the Mongolian people, further promoting traditional virtues such as respecting the elderly, loving family members, mutual assistance and friendliness.

Extensive selection campaigns have been held, including the "Good People Around Us" and "Ten-Star Civilized Household" awards. A total of 330 households have been named Ten-Star Civilized Households. These exemplary models guide farmers and herdsmen to abandon outdated customs, carry forward traditional culture and raise civic awareness. A simple local culture, village atmosphere and family ethos featuring hospitality, virtue and kindness have taken shape.