Dragon Dance (Tongliang Dragon Dance)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Dragon Dance (Tongliang Dragon Dance)

Applicant: Chongqing

Item No.: 107

Project No.: Ⅲ - 4

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Chongqing

Type: new item

Applicant: Chongqing

Protected by: Chongqing Tongliang District Cultural Center (Chongqing Tongliang District Dragon Culture Development Research Center, Chongqing Tongliang District Intangible Cultural Heritage Center)

Introduction to Dragon Dance (Tongliang Dragon Dance)

Applicant: Chongqing

Dragon dance, also known as "Dragon Dance", is also called "Dragon Dance", "dragon lantern dance" or "dragon lantern dance" among the people. It is widely distributed in all parts of the country and among all ethnic groups. Its variety of forms is incomparable to any other folk dance. As early as the Shang Dynasty, oracle bone inscriptions have been used to offer sacrifices to the dragon and pray for rain by several people; the records of Dong Zhongshu's Chunqiu Fanlu in the Han Dynasty have clearly recorded all kinds of dragon dances to pray for rain; since then, it has been common to record the palace or folk dragon dances in the poems of all dynasties. Until now, dragon dance is still one of the popular dance forms in folk festivals. The basic performance means of dragon dance are its props modeling, composition changes and action routines. According to the different materials of dragon shaped props, they are divided into cloth dragon, yarn dragon, paper dragon, grass dragon, Qian dragon, bamboo dragon, brown dragon, bench dragon, shutter dragon, lotus dragon, fire dragon, chicken feather dragon, meat dragon and so on; the northern dragon dance is generally tall and thick, with simple and vigorous style; the southern dragon dance is exquisite and delicate, lively and agile. Dragon dance can be divided into yellow, white, green, red, black and so on in color, and Huanglong is the most noble. The composition and action of dragon dance generally have the characteristics of "round song", "tumbling", "entanglement", "interpenetration" and "jumping". The traditional performance procedures of dragon dance are generally: "invite the dragon", "give the dragon", "dance the dragon" and "send the dragon". There is a folk saying that "seven or eight years old play grass dragon, fifteen or sixteen play little dragon, young adults dance big dragon". When the number of dragon dancers is small, one person will dance two dragons, and when the number of dragon dancers is large, one hundred people will dance one dragon.

Dragon is the totem and ancestor of the Chinese nation; dragon dance is the symbol of the Chinese spirit, which embodies the spirit of unity and development of the Chinese nation, and contains the cultural connotation of harmony between man and nature and the benefit of mankind. It is the most common way of entertainment for the Chinese people in auspicious and blessing seasons. The atmosphere is warm and inspiring. It is a very precious cultural heritage of the Chinese nation.

Tongliang Dragon Dance is a kind of dance art form with dragon as the main prop, which is popular in Tongliang County of Chongqing. It rose in the Ming Dynasty and flourished in the Qing Dynasty. It is famous all over the world.

Tongliang Dragon Dance includes dragon dance and lantern dance. Dragon lantern dance mainly includes ten varieties: big vermilion, fire dragon, straw dragon, bamboo shell dragon, huangjinglong, bench dragon, Zhenglong, xiaocailong, zhubanglong and lotus dragon, among which big vermilion is the most characteristic. The lantern dance mainly includes 12 varieties: yuyuelongmen dance, loach eating Tangyuan dance, santiao dance, Shiba dance, bright lion dance, kaishanhu dance, clam shell dance, rhinoceros watching the moon dance, pig eating pumpkin dance, Gaotai dragon lion dance, Yanta Title Dance and pumpkin shed dance.

Tongliang Dragon Dance is closely related to folk activities, rich in routines and humorous in rhythm. The accompaniment music is unique, the props are ingenious, the modeling is exaggerated, the costumes are simple and generous, the dancers are free to participate in the dance, it is convenient to retreat from the dance, and the masses have strong participation.

Tongliang Dragon Dance embodies the spirit of uniting, benefiting human beings, striving for progress and harmony with heaven. At the same time, it has social functions such as entertaining gods, entertaining people and showing power. Tongliang Dragon Dance is famous only for a few varieties, such as big vermilion and fire dragon. Most of the Dragon Dance varieties are on the verge of danger and need to be protected and saved.

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