Xierong zhongzi

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Xie Rong Zhong Zi

Applicant: Qushui County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Project No.: 1094

Project No.: Ⅲ - 105

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Tibet Autonomous Region

Type: new item

Applicant: Qushui County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Protected by: Qushui culture and Tourism Bureau (Qushui Cultural Relics Bureau)

About Xie Rong zhongzi:

Applicant: Qushui County, Tibet Autonomous Region

"Xierong zhongzi" is a Tibetan transliteration, "Xierong" is a village name in Qushui County, southwest of Lhasa ancient city, "Zhong" is a wild yak, "Zi" means dancing or playing. "Xierong zhongzi" is the bison dance in Xierong village.

Xierong zhongzi was performed by seven men: "a re" (leading dance), one female yak and one male yak (two playing as a yak), one drum player and one cymbal player.

During the performance, the lead dancer first described the history of the bison dance in a monologue: old man a re and these two male and female wild yaks participated in the grand inauguration ceremony of the Sangye temple (in the murals of Sangye temple, the first temple in Tibet, the part depicting the completion ceremony of the temple does have scenes of dancing bison.)

The bison dance in Xierong village was choreographed by the villagers of this village on the basis of Tibetan opera performances in order to go to Lhasa to attend the annual sheaton Festival when Dalai Awang rosangjiacuo was in power. The theme of the dance is blessing, auspiciousness and perfection. It uses the plot that two wild yaks are not afraid of wind and snow and difficulties to solve people's problems, and shapes the strong and unyielding character of the wild yaks on the snow covered plateau. During the period of the fifth Dalai Lama, at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sheraton Festival, the dance was performed on the same stage with the white mask Tibetan Opera "zhaxieba", which had a great influence.

Xierong zhongzi's basic dance steps include "six steps and one lift", "T-shaped rub step", "run and jump step", "roll the ground", "shake the head in place", "pick up hada" and so on; most of the performances are in the form of circle, triangle, exchange formation, one shape and so on. But no matter how the formation changes, ah re always stands in the middle of the field.

Xierong zhongzi has strong local characteristics of Tibet. Its cheerful, warm and bold dance reflects the vicissitudes of Tibetan traditional culture. At present, only two old artists in Xierong village can really dance buffalo dance. The people's Government of Qushui county is taking active measures to rescue and protect this form of traditional culture.