The Drum Tower in Zengchong Village was built in 1672. It is located 82km north of Congjiang County and has 13 levels, 17.65 meters in height. The types of the Dong people's drum towers usually have two kinds - pagoda and hall, and Zengchong tower belong to the former.
Zengcong Tower is an octagonal pagoda-type drum tower with odd stories eaves. On its top rises a multi-eave, octagonal finial pavilion. The eave angle of it is upturned, and the overall outline is changeable, beautiful in style. All the eaves of the tower were carved many animal patterns such as dragons, phoenixes, fishes, crabs and shrimps etc.
In the first level, three gates are opened in three directions and four big pillars stand erect, the benches between the pillars encircle the central fire pond. Many couplets and verses were written on the historical wooden steles. There are stairs up to the top of the tower, where a 3-meter-diameter drum is placed. It is used to send signals. For example, when an emergency such as fire or attack etc. comes up, it will be beaten. And all the villagers will flock here.
Dong legend has it that the drum tower was built in accordance with the sample of the "king of cedar", and the overall outline of the Dong people drum tower really looks like a cedar, embodying the concept of worshipping big trees.
Zengcong Drum Tower provides a venue for the whole village to discuss and settle important matters, hold important festivals or entertainments such as singing, dancing and the Lusheng playing. Ascending the tower, visitors can get a commanding view of the beautiful village. Currently, the tower is known as the biggest and most intact drum tower of its kind in Guizhou Province. It is now under the state's protection.
*Lusheng: a kind of bamboo-pipe wind instrument of some ethnic groups, such as Zhuang, Miao, Yao, Dong and Buyi etc.