Maonan beating monkey dance

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Maonan people's monkey dance

Applicant: Pingtang County, Guizhou Province

Item No.: 660

Project No.: Ⅲ - 63

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Guizhou Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Pingtang County, Guizhou Province

Protected by: Pingtang Cultural Relics Management Institute (Pingtang intangible cultural heritage research and Development Center)

Introduction to Maonan people's monkey beating dance

Applicant: Pingtang County, Guizhou Province

Beating monkey drum dance is a unique folk dance of Maonan people, which is popular in the Maonan community of Pingtang County, Guizhou Province. It has been developing and inheriting among Maonan people with less than 100000 people for more than 600 years. The dance is divided into three parts: "the monkey king is born", "the monkey knocks the pile" and "the monkey guides the way". One beat the bronze drum, one beat the leather drum, and many performed. Their actions were funny and humorous. They all imitated monkeys, and their contents were unique. They were known as the "living fossil" in dance.

There are three forms of dance: solo dance, duet dance and multiplayer dance. The whole dance shows the style of madness, wildness, coarseness and spirituality. There are three sections of monkey beating inspiration: "Monkey King born", "monkey beating pile" and "monkey fire leading road": the first section "Monkey King born" shows the fighting spirit of Maonan ancestors; the second section "monkey beating pile" shows Maonan people's tenacious survival, unity and brave fighting spirit; the third section "monkey fire leading road" shows Maonan people's pioneering spirit of inheriting their ancestors' will and advancing bravely. In the monkey beating dance, beat the bronze drum and leather drum to control the rhythm, use the strength, weight and speed of the drum to guide the change of dance movements, and the double leg squat dance runs through the performance.

Monkey beating dance is the embodiment of Maonan folk customs and totem culture, which has the research value of Ethnology and art. At present, Maonan people engaged in folk ritual activities are over 70 years old and can no longer dance monkey beating dance. Young people are unwilling to learn this kind of folk dance which is more difficult. In this situation, the Maonan Dahou dance is on the verge of extinction, which is in urgent need of rescue and protection.