Dragon Dance (Liufang Yunlong dance)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Dragon Dance (Liufang Yunlong dance)

Applicant: Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province

Item No.: 107

Project No.: Ⅲ - 4

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Guangdong Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province

Protection unit: propaganda and sports service center of Guzhen Town, Zhongshan City (comprehensive cultural station, archives)

Introduction to Dragon Dance (Liufang Yunlong dance)

Applicant: Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province

Liufang Yunlong dance is a kind of dragon dance which is popular in Liufang village, Guzhen Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province. It is developed from the traditional custom of "wandering God" during the Spring Festival. It has a history of more than 300 years.

There is an ancient stone tablet in front of zhenbeidi temple in the ancient town. The inscription says: "lanxikou has been established in the ancient temple, and the Zhu tablet is from the age of Bingzi in Wanli to the age of Daoguang in 1898 - the weather of the Dragon hall. People look at the mulberry and become respectful." This passage is about the scene of the local Beidi temple built in the Ming Dynasty, and the residents holding mulberry branches to welcome Yunlong.

Every year, around the 20th day of the first month after the Spring Festival, Liufang village holds a "wandering God" activity. Nearly 200 young and middle-aged men in the village invite Yunlong out of the ancestral hall. At night, they light candles and get into the dragon's body to make the Yunlong bright. Then, they are led by dragon dancers holding flags and lanterns, and escorted by dancers holding props such as clouds and carp, The tour will last for three nights.

Liufang Yunlong dance is rich in movement routines and vivid in shape. Because the dance is usually performed in the evening, the pants the dragon dancers wear are the same color as the dragon body. From a distance, you can only see the Yunlong dance tumbling, but not the dancer. The effect is very strange. In the 1930s and 1940s, Liufang Yunlong dance performed in Hong Kong to celebrate the silver jubilee and the victory of the Anti Japanese war. It was very popular among overseas Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots.

With the change of social and economic structure, the local young generation lacks enthusiasm for learning the traditional Liufang Yunlong dance, and the inheritance of Liufang Yunlong dance is in an endangered state.