Music and dance

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: music and dance

Applicant: Honghe County, Yunnan Province

Item No.: 671

Project No.: Ⅲ - 74

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Yunnan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Honghe County, Yunnan Province

Protection unit: Honghe County Cultural Center

Brief introduction of Yuezuo dance

Applicant: Honghe County, Yunnan Province

Yuezuo dance is an ancient folk dance which is a combination of song, dance and music shared by Hani and Yi people. It is popular in Hani and Yi villages in Honghe County, South Bank of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The Yi people call it "zaibi" while the Hani people call it "hassesse", also known as "longzongcuo".

The appellation of "Yuezuo" has a history of more than 100 years. According to Hani's phonetic translation, "music" means everyone, and "work" means playing and dancing. "Music work" means that everyone comes to dance. It is said that the name "Yuezuo" is another name for Yi dance in Shiping and Jianshui. After nearly a hundred years of evolution, "Yuezuo" has become a conventional dance name among Hani and Yi people. After the founding of the people's Republic of China, through the study and exchange of literary and art workers, the name of "Yuezuo" outside the Yangtze River was spread to the literary and art circles of the whole province and even the whole country, and became the general name of Hani people's display of dance music on the South Bank of the red river.

Dancing is not limited by time, place, number and form, but has a certain procedure. Before the dance, there is lyrical singing accompanied by the band. The band members do not participate in the dance, but often shake their bodies with the rhythm of the accompaniment, and boost the fun with high voice. Then people often dance in circles with even numbers, sing while dancing, move and stop, clap their hands occasionally, sometimes cross each other, sometimes turn over and turn around, but they always keep the appearance of circles. The dancers have graceful posture, soft and light movements, their arms flapping like dragonflies, their knees flexing and stretching with flexibility. The routine of dance steps is rich and complete, showing distinctive national style and strong local characteristics.

Yuezuo dance is the spiritual bond between Hani and Yi people. It plays a media role in the social activities of young men and women of various ethnic groups in the border areas, and has made great contributions to enhancing the friendship and unity of various ethnic groups in the border areas. At present, due to the imperfect protection measures and the influence of foreign culture, the musical dance has been facing the survival crisis, which needs to be protected and inherited.

Chinese PinYin : Le Zuo Wu