Yi left foot dance

Name of Chinese national intangible cultural heritage: Yi left foot dance

Applicant: Mouding County, Yunnan Province

Item No.: 670

Project No.: Ⅲ - 73

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Yunnan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Mouding County, Yunnan Province

Protection unit: cultural center of Mouding County

A brief introduction of Yi left foot dance

Applicant: Mouding County, Yunnan Province

The left foot dance of the Yi people, known as "Guzha" in Yi language, is a representative traditional dance of the Yi people. It is gradually formed in the long-term slash and burn farming life of the Yi people. Song, dance and music are integrated to entertain people, communicate and keep fit. The left foot dance of Yi nationality is mainly spread in Mouding County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, which has an important influence on the politics, economy and culture of the Yi people and even the whole county.

In the performance of Yi left foot dance, there are many kinds of singing styles. When the dance starts, the first step is to start with the left foot. The basic steps are straight foot, swing foot, pad foot and so on. The special movements are flower string, turning over and so on. The boys play the four strings of the dragon head and pull up the small erhu. The girls sing the left foot tune and dance the left foot dance. There are more than ten people at least and hundreds at most. The dance has strong randomness, unlimited number of people, regardless of men, women, old and young, unlimited time and place. The content involves all aspects of Yi culture, production and life, with bright rhythm, easy to understand and rich expression.

The left foot dance of Yi people records the primitive worship of heaven, earth, sun, moon, fire, tiger and nature, and reflects the national spirit of unity and innovation of Yi people in the long process of historical development. It is deeply rooted in the production and life of the Yi people. It is the spiritual food of the Yi people in mouding and the people of all ethnic groups in the county. Its unique musical instrument making skills and clothing characteristics fully reflect the superb technological level and creative ability of the Yi people. The left foot dance of Yi nationality contains many cultural contents, such as folk customs, traditional crafts, national costumes and so on. It has the research value of anthropology, ethnology, folklore and so on.

For a long time, the left foot dance of Yi people has not been protected in an organized and planned way. Under the influence of the urbanization of festival activities and the commercialization of folk activities, its cultural traditions and customs are gradually weakened, and the number of inheritors with comprehensive quality of song, dance and music is becoming less and less. In this situation, the survival of Yi left foot dance is facing many crises, which need to be rescued and protected.