Qiangmu (zhikongarqiangmu)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Qiangmu (zhikongarqiangmu)

Applicant: Mozhugongka County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Item No.: 125

Project No.: Ⅲ - 22

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Tibet Autonomous Region

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Mozhugongka County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Protection unit: Administrative Committee of zhikongti temple, Mozhugongka County, Lhasa City, Tibet

Brief introduction of Qiangmu (zhikongarqiangmu)

Applicant: Mozhugongka County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Zhikonggaerqiangmu is a religious dance of zhikongti temple in Mozhugongka county. "Ga'er" means song and dance or "music and dance".

During the period of Dorje Jiebo (1284-1350), the living Buddha of the 28th generation, the ninth descendant of zhikongti temple, Zaba jianzan, the overhaul walker, once performed the sacrificial dance of "four arm Dharma protector" for the first time in the wukal area of zhikongxi. From then on, Qiangmu was introduced into zhikongti temple. Later, through the constant modification and development of the eminent monks of Zhikong, Qiangmu gradually improved and became the garqiangmu of the temple. Gaerqiangmu has a strict set of dance movements and accompaniment music, as well as strict performance procedures; as a religious dance, it has rich cultural connotation. During the "Cultural Revolution", the inheritance of zhikongarqiangmu was hindered. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, zhikongarqiangmu was restored.

In recent years, the old lamas who are familiar with this place have died one after another, and some unique skills are difficult to be inherited, while the young lamas have not reached the previous level in skills. With the strong support of the government, zhikongti Temple self raised funds to hire the old lamas who are familiar with garqiangmu to resume the performance, teach the young lamas skills, collect a large number of materials of zhikongti garqiangmu, and organize experts and scholars to carry out research.

As the epitome of Tibetan religious dance, zhikonggar Qiangmu's rescue and protection will play a certain role in enriching and improving the research of Tibetan and even Chinese dance history.