Liu Xueguang

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Liu Xueguang, Male, Yi, from Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Drum Dance (Ⅲ-42). The tradition is documented in Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan. Within the regional tradition and school record of Drum Dance in Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan: The Yi flower drum dance is transmitted mainly in the townships of Tadian, Fuliangpeng, Chahe, Dianzhong, Dalongtan and others in Eshan Yi Autonomous County, and radiates to neighbouring counties and districts. The flower-drum troupe in each village passes itself on through masters taking apprentices, and the line-up that takes the field differs between festive and funerary occasions: funerary rites are presided over by the bimo, while at festivals the dance is performed collectively in the square. At present the county has more than 500 flower-drum troupes as well as a number of transmission points and school-based training points. According to the mid-Ming Yi-language ancient book "Du Mulong Xize Doudou", the Yi flower drum dance originates in the historical memory of the common ancestor of the Yi people, Apu Dumu, enduring raging floods, presiding over the branching of the six ancestors, opening up new territory, and migrating in all directions. The movements are weighted downwards, and require uninterrupted jumping.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Liu Xueguang is anchored in the documented technical standards of Drum Dance in Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan. Within the documented technical tradition of Drum Dance in Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan: The Yi flower drum dance, called "zhebo bi" in the Yi language, is a traditional dance integrating song, dance and music. It is transmitted mainly in the townships of Tadian, Fuliangpeng, Chahe, Dianzhong, Dalongtan and others in Eshan Yi Autonomous County of Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, and radiates to neighbouring counties and districts. With the cultural intermingling of the locality, the songs of the Yi flower drum dance absorbed elements of the Han flower-lantern tune, and the performance forms became richer. The dance was performed in the past mainly at funerary and sacrificial activities. When an elderly person dies, the family must invite a "bimo" to preside over the funeral, and also invite the flower-drum troupe to perform the Yi flower drum dance, meaning to see the spirit off back to the ancestors, to "entertain and work through the mourning", and to relieve the sorrow of the bereaved relatives. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Yi flower drum dance gradually changed from a sacrificial form into one for self-amusement and performance: in the past it was mostly performed by young and middle-aged men, whereas now large numbers of women have joined in. At festival times such as the Spring Festival, the Torch Festival and the New Street fair, close to ten thousand people dance the flower drum dance in the square to build their bodies and cultivate their minds. In performance a team consists of at least 8 people: one performer called the "dragon head" directs with a prop consisting of a wooden dragon head and a "jingjiwei" pheasant tail; the other four carry the flower drum on the right shoulder, fasten a small round mirror on the chest, and swing a white towel in the left hand, meaning to drive away evil spirits, while the right hand holds a beater to strike the drum, dancing as they beat to the accompaniment of percussion. The lead dancer circles the jingjiwei dragon head once above the head, which signals the drum dancers to change to another dance routine. The percussion section consists of 4 people, one each on the big cymbal, the small cymbal and the small chao. The Yi flower drum dance has 35 routines, including paying respects to the four directions, the ghost hop, the snail turn, the snake shedding its skin, the buckwheat-cutting dance and the flower-piercing street tune. Its content and forms are rich, its formations varied, and it is divided into the quick drum and the board drum. The quick drum is fast in movement, warm and unrestrained, vigorous and powerful; the board drum is solemn and steady, gentle and relaxed, showing artistic features of being light and agile while remaining vigorous and stirring. Drawing on Yi-language ancient books such as "Floods Reach the Sky", "Guide to the Way" and "Dumu Steps on the Sharp-bladed Grass", and by recreating ethnic myths and historical memory, the Yi flower drum dance vividly expresses the spiritual pursuit and life aspirations of the people of Eshan Yi; it is an important component of Yi culture and a vivid witness to the intermingling of ethnic cultures and to ethnic solidarity, and it plays a positive role in strengthening cultural confidence, promoting cultural identification and social harmony. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The dragon head and pheasant tail": At least eight dance, led by a dragon head holding a wooden dragon head and pheasant tail; one circle overhead cues the change of routine. "Drum, mirror and towel": The other four carry a flower drum on the right shoulder with a small mirror at the chest, flicking a white towel in the left hand to drive off evil. "Quick and measured drums": The dance divides into a quick mode, fervent and forceful, and a measured mode, grave and gentle, alternating to give it its character. "Thirty-five routines": Thirty-five routines run from saluting the four quarters to the snail's turn and the snake's sloughing, with steps of stamping, kicking, crouching and spinning.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Liu Xueguang was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Drum Dance, with Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Drum Dance in Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2021 (batch 5), with Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan as its declared area, and Eshan Yi Autonomous County Wen YiChuangZuoShi (Eshan Yi Autonomous County Culture Yichan Safeguarding and Transmission Center) as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Liuxueguang (Yuxishieshanyizuzizhi, Yunnan) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Liuxueguang · China ICH Official Archive